Barwon Water unveils garden audit program

Qualified horticulturalists will visit homes to assess gardens and provide advice under a Barwon Water program to help customers cope with drought.
Barwon Water announced the 12-month pilot program yesterday in a bid to help household gardeners manage stage four restrictions amid predictions of a hot, dry summer.
Under the program, five garden centres have undergone training to run 100 assessments each over the next year.
Barwon Water said the assessments would involve horticulturalists assessing garden features and providing advice such as whether the property was suitable for greywater and the right size rain tank.
The assessors would also provide personalised reports with technical information and recommendations.
Barwon Water said the assessments were available from Fagg’s Mitre 10 and McGain’s, Meredith, Shalimar and Van Loons nurseries.
Deputy chairman John McDonald said the assessments were worth about $190 but Barwon Water subsidies cut the cost to $90, while an additional State Government rebate could leave the final bill at $40.
Mr McDonald said the WaterSecure Garden program was aimed at maintaining healthy household gardens as well as water reserves.
“When we are not on water restrictions up to 34 per cent of water used by a typical household in the Barwon Water region is used in the garden and that’s why the restrictions focus on outdoor water use,” he said.
“At the same time we know gardens bring great enjoyment to many people and the WaterSecure program is a way Barwon Water can help these people continue to take pleasure in gardening.”