What is Target 55??

[Guest The Pom Queen]

For all the people who live in Victoria you may have heard talks of Target 55 on the radio. Although we are still on Stage 3a Water Restrictions in most parts of Melbourne the Victorian Government are constantly working to secure Melbourne’s water supplies for the long term. Target 155 aims to achieve similar household water consumption levels to Stage 4 Water Restrictions, but gives you more control over how you achieve your savings. Under Target 155 the Government are asking that you reduce your water intake to 155 litres of water a day.

On the Water Board site there is a message from the Minister of Water, I have copied it here for people who struggle with hyperlinks and pop ups:

 

"The days when Melbourne could rely on winter and spring rains to see us through the summer months are over. Melbourne’s dams have served the city well for more than a century, but times have changed.

Drought and climate change mean we cannot continue to rely on our dams as the sole source of water. Rainfall and runoff in our catchments has declined, and that means Melbourne needs to diversify its water sources.

This is why the State Government is building Australia’s largest desalination plant and investing hundreds of millions of dollars in irrigation upgrades to save water now lost in a leaky, old system. This water can be shared between irrigators, stressed rivers such as the Murray, and Melbourne.

Along with increased recycling and conservation, these projects will help to top up our dams and secure our water supplies for decades to come.

In the meantime, runoff into our dams has dropped to record lows and we need everyone to work together to save even more water this summer.

Every Melbournian is being asked to take part in the Target 155 campaign, to use no more than 155 litres per person per day. This target allows you to still have some flexibility and choice around how you use your water, such as shorter showers so you can keep watering your plants.

If we can reach Target 155, then we will bank a significant amount of water in our dams to help keep the city going through the drought.

Information on this website will assist you in reaching your personal Target 155. There is useful advice and information on rebates, so you can save both water and money.

Safeguarding our water supply is important to us all. We ask that you use this website and make the commitment to reduce your daily water use to Target 155. And remember, it is the small things you do that combine to make a big difference!

 

The Hon Tim Holding MP

Minister for Water