Local schools are saving money on water bills thanks to a program helping to find and fix costly water leaks.
Mount Duneed’s Mirripoa Primary School saved money and drinking water after it joined Barwon Water’s free Schools’ Water Efficiency Program (SWEP).
Mirripoa Primary School business manager Ingrid Polwarth said the school had benefited from joining the SWEP program.
“The irrigation system was leaking and was costing the school money through large water bills,” she said.
“There was so much expense involved when the irrigation system needed fixing. We were so grateful to Barwon Water for the grant to help us pay for it.
“It is great to be part of the SWEP program, we can detect leaks quickly and it also provides the students the opportunity to learn about water efficiency and how important it is.”
Barwon Water customers, community and strategy general manager Laura Kendall said the program provided the school with a $3000 grant and had saved 86 schools a combined total of $3.4 million.
“Water leaks result in high water losses and higher water bills. Early detection is vital to saving drinking water and money,” she said.
“Thanks to funding assistance from Barwon Water and the Victorian Government, it’s free for schools to sign up.”
Barwon Water installed data loggers as part of the program for the school to track its water use through an online monitoring dashboard to help identify the leaking irrigation system.
The SWEP program also includes curriculum resources to combine maths, science, and environmental studies for students through real-world examples.
Schools can enrol in the free Barwon Water Schools Water Efficiency Program at www.myswep.com.au/.
