This case study relates to Action 7 in the Kep Katitjin – Gabi Kaadadjan Waterwise action plan 3 delivered by Water Corporation and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation.
The H2OME project, Water Corporation’s largest ever residential water-use study, employed the world’s most advanced technology available to understand how water is used around the home and garden. The study provided powerful insights to help plan for Boorloo (Perth) and Bindjareb’s (Peel) water future and to find new ways of working with the community to use water efficiently.
More than 2,000 Water Corporation customers representing a cross-section of Boorloo and Bindjareb’s population took part in the H2OME study, which commenced in 2018 and was completed in 2024, spanning both the Waterwise Perth Action Plan 2019 – Action 1, and Kep Katitjin – Gabi Kaadadjan Waterwise Perth Action Plan 2 – Action 6 in the Household and building scale. Digital meters were installed to collect high resolution water use data, which was combined with household information on fixtures and appliance efficiency, demographics, weather and spatial land data. Advanced analytics provided an in-depth understanding of water use behaviour, which informed the design of new waterwise offers to help households save water.
Key insights:
- Leaks on the customer side of the meter were identified in 30 per cent of properties participating in the study.
- Outdoor water use accounts for 36 per cent of total residential drinking water use.
- Most water used inside the home is in the shower, with household showers accounting for 24 per cent of total residential drinking water use.
In response to the study’s findings, Water Corporation has offered customers incentives to save water in the garden, fix leaks and install water efficient showerheads, which have saved 1024 million litres of water over the past three years.
Examples of Water Corporation’s waterwise offers and rebates:
Spring Irrigation Program
During September to May, customers in Boorloo and Bindjareb could access an irrigation check conducted by a Waterwise Garden Irrigator. More than 5,500 customers took up the offer over the past three years. The program was developed to help customers optimise the performance of their existing irrigation system in Spring (the Noongar seasons of Djilba and Kambarang), providing the maximum opportunity for gardens to remain healthy during the hot summer months, while also minimising overwatering.
Rebates for Weather-Smart Irrigation Controllers
Over the past three years, more than 3,400 customers took up the offer of rebates for weather-smart irrigation controllers, making the latest technology in water-saving irrigation practices more accessible to customers. The controller uses local weather data to adjust sprinkler watering times and reduce overwatering. The controllers were installed by a Waterwise irrigation specialist to ensure watering rosters and other waterwise gardening practices were considered. A trial showed households using the controller reduced water use by 15 per cent.
Waterwise Garden Advice for Bore Owners
During August 2022 to May 2023, free garden visits were offered to domestic bore owners in the Boorloo (Perth) and Bindjareb (Peel) regions. The new program was developed to help garden bore owners adapt to the new two-day per week watering roster. More than 550 customers took up the offer for a waterwise landscaper or garden designer to visit their property and advise on optimising soil condition, watering requirements of plants, alternative waterwise options, and garden design and layout to reduce irrigation requirements while maintaining a thriving garden.
The H2OME study examined water use in a range of property sizes and occupancies. This data allows customers to compare their use to households with similar block sizes and number of people. Customers can also compare their water use to similar households in their neighbourhood by checking their Waterwise status at watercorporation.com.au/bill-and-account.
