The NSW Government has caved in to pressure from developers and again failed to take climate change seriously by reducing targets for greater water efficiency in new homes in regional areas, Greens MLC Ian Cohen said today.
Mr Cohen said the government’s rationale today that because Bondi received more rain than Leeton, regional NSW should therefore not have to aim to conserve as much water was evidence of its complete lack of understanding of the state’s water crisis.
“If a regional centre such as Leeton, or Bourke, receives less rain than Bondi then it is vital that residents save as much water as possible. Regional communities have had to be frugal with their water use, but this decision will undo much of the hard work already done.
“The NSW Government has yet again failed to take the steps necessary to deal with climate change - now and into the future. It is failing to do so in Sydney and now it is repeating its failures in regional areas.
“Reducing the target for water efficiency in a new home from 40 per cent to 20 per cent completely ignores the stress on water supplies the current drought is having. The decision also fails to take into account the likely impacts of climate change in the future in regional NSW.”
BASIX, the new Building Sustainability Index due to start on July 1, will now be more limited in the environmental benefits it can produce and will prevent building owners from saving money on day-to-day costs, Mr Cohen said.
“Building design that makes use of ‘grey water’ from washing machines for garden use will lower the cost of piped water. But the incentive to do this has now been largely removed.”
Further Information: Paul Sheridan, 0410 516 656
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