The Central Coast Water Savings Fund was established in May 2006 to provide financial backing to help households, businesses, industry, schools and councils save water. The aim of the Fund is to stimulate investment in innovative water conservation and recycling technologies and practices, and improve water efficiency across all sectors.
The Central Coast Water Savings Fund provides up to $2 million a year for saving water in the Central Coast region. Activities that are eligible for funding include, but are not limited to:
- water savings measures that will reduce water used in equipment, devices or processes; reduce leaks; or improve operating and maintenance practices
- measures that will reduce potable water consumption through substitution from alternative sources such as rainwater, stormwater or recycled water.
Applicants to the Central Coast Water Savings Fund are encouraged to focus on areas not covered by existing initiatives or, for related projects, state how their proposal will complement, rather than duplicate, these programs.
Eligibility criteria
Activities that are eligible for government grants include, but are not limited to:
- water savings measures that will reduce water used in equipment, devices or processes; reduce leaks; or improve operating and maintenance practices
- measures that will reduce potable water consumption through substitution from alternative sources such as rainwater, stormwater or recycled water.
Businesses with Water Management Plans approved by Gosford City or Wyong Shire Councils are encouraged to apply for financial support to implement actions identified in their plans.
Government grants will not be provided for:
- projects which it is reasonable to expect the applicant would undertake without assistance from the Fund,
- including where there are no financial barriers to implementing the project
- projects which are research and development only
- projects directly implementing regulatory requirements such as BASIX or preparation of Water Management Plans.
More Information
For more information or assistance, please email Water and Energy programs, DECCW ccf@environment.nsw.gov.au, DECCW, or call the Environment Line 1300 361 967.
- Download the Round 5 Guide for Applicants
- Download the Round 5 application form
- Download the technical help document
- Sample Funding Agreement
Round 5 of the Central Coast Water Savings Fund closes on Thursday 17 February 2011.
Previously Funded Projects
Australian Reptile Park – $79,022
The Australian Reptile Park will harvest rainwater from the main roof for use in the crocodile pool and other internal display tanks. The Park will also extend water pipes from the spring-fed alligator lagoon to the irrigation system in other enclosures and install a bio filter on the platypus tank to reduce the frequency of water replacement. Water efficient taps and dual flush toilets will also be installed in all washrooms. This project is estimated to save 3.4 million litres of water a year. A communication and education plan will also be developed in order to maximise community engagement with the project.
Baptist Community Services NSW and ACT – $63,334
Baptist Community Services’ Orana Centre will install a laundry monitoring system, ozone generation system and rainwater harvesting and an irrigation system to reduce their water, energy and chemical use. Ozone technology will save energy by only using cold water for clothes washing and has the added benefits of reducing chemical input and gas consumption in the dryers. The rainwater collection and irrigation system will reinvigorate the gardens in the Dementia Unit.
The project is expected to save 1.1 million litres of water per year.
Brisbane Water Secondary College – $63,143
Brisbane Water Secondary College, Woy Woy Senior Campus will build on its existing rainwater harvesting system to capture additional water for irrigating the school oval. The school currently irrigates with groundwater, but by using rainwater, will be saving town water supplied from the same aquifer treated by Gosford Councils’ groundwater treatment facility. The project is expected to save 700,000 litres of water a year.
North Gosford Laundrette -$19,810
North Gosford Laundrette will replace eight commercial washing machines with new water efficient models. Savings achieved with a trial machine showed an average saving of 75 litres per wash cycle, which will slash the laundry’s total water use by around 35 per cent. Energy savings will also be made through increased spin cycle speeds and reduced hot water use. This project is expected to save 1 million litres of water a year.
Department of Juvenile Justice -$89,500
The Frank Baxter Juvenile Justice Centre will be harvesting rainwater for washing and cleaning and for use in its laundry, pool, toilets, gardens, lawns and ovals. Four 2,500 litre tanks will be installed to collect water for toilets in the staff training building. A 45,000 litre tank will be installed to provide water for toilet flushing and washing vehicles in the detainee training area, and two 125,000 litre tanks will be installed to supply the laundry, water gardens and top up the pool. The project is expected to save 1.8 million litres of water a year.
Gosford RSL Club – $35,500
Gosford RSL provides facilities for 17,000 members, including a 210 seat bistro and a 120 seat café. The Club will install ozone technology in their 50 room motel laundry to reduce water and energy use, by using cold water only. Ozone technology has the added benefits of reducing chemical input and gas consumption in the dryers.
Rainwater will also be harvested for cleaning and electronic sensor taps will be installed in bathrooms to further reduce drinkable water use. The project is expected to save 2.3 million litres of water a year.
Kincumber Public School – $56,679
Kincumber Public School will use recycled water from Kincumber Sewage Treatment Works to irrigate playing fields and native vegetation at the school. The school will upgrade their irrigation system to be connected to Gosford Council’s recycled water pipeline. The project will also form part of student education on water use efficiency and sustainability. The project is expected to save 1.3 million litres of water a year.
Laundry Asset Management – $107,857
Laundry Asset Management will refit a major central coast laundry which serves the hospitality industry with ozone technology and new efficient washers to significantly reduce its water, energy and chemical use.
Ozone technology will save energy by only using cold water and has the added benefits of reducing chemical input and gas consumption in the dryers. This project is expected to save 5.8 million litres of water a year.
Lend Lease Property Management Australia -$652,000
The Erina Fair shopping centre is one of the 20 largest in Australia with over 12 million visitors annually. The first stage of Erina Fair’s Water Plan will capture rainwater from its extensive roof area of over 100,000 square metres and store it in a 1.6 ML tank. The water will be treated to a high quality standard for a range of non-potable uses throughout the shopping centre such as amenities, cooling towers, car washing and the ice rink.
Building on efficiency gains already achieved at Erina Fair, this project will slash a further 15 per cent from the shopping centre’s annual water use. The project is expected to save 16.2 million litres of water a year.
Wyong Hospital – $83,400
Wyong Hospital is a 320 bed facility providing acute care and specialty services. The hospital will replace 36 old single flush toilets with efficient dual flush cisterns. This project will improve the water efficiency of the old toilets and slash the hospital’s water usage by over 45 per cent. It is anticipated that this project will save 3.8 million litres of water a year.
Woy Woy Public School -$45,013
Woy Woy Public School will install two rainwater tanks to supply water to the school toilet block and school community garden. The school has already installed dual flush toilets and rainwater harvesting is the next step to save water. The project is expected to save 500,000 litres of water a year.
Youth Connections- $79,000
Youth Connections will integrate rainwater harvesting, wastewater recycling and groundwater harvesting to save water. The project will reuse grey and black water in toilets onto the garden through advanced treatment technology. Constructed wetlands will act as a natural filtration system to clean harvested runoff and shallow groundwater for irrigation use. It is expected that this project will save 2.4 million litres of water a year.
