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Government of Western Australia Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
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Finding new water resources, including Royalties for Regions-funded programs and other drilling programs to explore resources across the state.

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Click here to apply for rebates and grants for farmers, pastoralists and rural communities to improve local water supplies and for information about assistance to help farmers access water during dry seasons.

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Find out who is eligible to trade water entitlements and how applications are assessed. Click here to identify potential trading partners from the Water Register.

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Metering and measuring the water you take helps you understand your water usage to make the most of your entitlements and reduce your overall costs.

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We are updating our policy and legislation to deliver water resource management legislation that is flexible, progressive and capable of managing water today and in the future.

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Legislation and policy for Western Australia’s water service providers.

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Information about wastewater recycling, water efficiencies and the use of fit-for-purpose water. Recycling is encouraged whenever it is socially, economically and environmentally acceptable to make smart use of waste water for the ongoing development of the State.

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For information on groundwater, garden bores and waterwise gardens please visit our Be Groundwater Wise website. You can find questions and answers about garden bores,

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Protecting and managing public drinking water source areas including policies relating to public drinking water source areas, water source protection plans, water quality strategies and management and review processes.

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Information on the state’s groundwater resources, locations, investigations, aquifer recharge and sustainable management of water resources, including an overview of state groundwater investigations.

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Surface water, like rivers and streams used for public water supply, self-supply, irrigation, recreation and hydropower and rainfall and streamflow monitoring, catchment modelling and flood studies to manage surface water.

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Click here for information about water quality, including public drinking water source areas, salinity, brochures, fact sheets and best management practices for various land uses and activities to help protect water quality and public health.

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Rivers and estuaries and their importance including information on monitoring and assessing waterways, protecting, understanding, planning, restoring, and risks and threats.

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There are 166 estuaries in Western Australia as established through the National Land and Water Resources Audit (NLWRA) 2000, where an estuary is defined as

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Information on the department’s role in relation to the shale and tight gas industry.

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Rainwater

Rainwater is water harvested directly from roof runoff from domestic or commercial buildings and captured in rainwater tanks.

Availability

Rainwater availability is seasonal. The climate in Perth has large variations in rainfall that is high in winter when watering demand is low and low in summer when demand is high. To optimise the full potential of rainwater as a water source (in Perth) the rainwater system should be plumbed into the building for non-drinking purposes, such as in laundries and toilets.

On average, a roof area of 100 m2 (approximately 50 per cent of an average house in Perth) can collect about 50 000 litres of water a year when plumbed for internal and external use. With an appropriately sized rainwater tank this could supply up to 20 per cent of a household's water needs.

General considerations

Before installing a rainwater tank, some of the factors to consider include:

  • rainfall for the region – seasonal patterns and potential annual yield
  • roof catchment size (area of roof discharging to tank)
  • roof characteristics (roof material, structures above the roof that may rust or corrode)
  • water demand (intended use, in-house and garden)
  • tank capacity and available space for tank
  • if plumbed into buildings – best location of tank(s) to connect to pipes
  • reliability of source for indoor use and required back-up supply
  • cost (installation in new developments may be more cost-effective than retrofitting) and regular maintenance
  • approval – most local councils require approval of a building application before installation; check with your local council
  • a licensed plumber is required to install the tank, fixtures, pipes and pumps
  • the local council can provide information on rainwater tank approvals for single houses.

Supply option for large buildings or new urban developments

A considerable volume of rainwater can be collected from the roofs of large residential or commercial buildings within a community, stored in tanks or underground, and distributed through a 'third pipe' scheme to multiple users for non-drinking in-house use and watering of green spaces. A water service provider may be required where roof catchments/tanks are shared and the water is delivered to multiple users. More information for developers is provided in the Department of Health's Draft Alternate Water Supply Guidelines – Stormwater and Rainwater (2009).

Related information

The Department of Health provides more information on the safe use of rainwater in urban and regional areas and links to other relevant websites. www.public.health.wa.gov.au/3/659/2/rainwater_collection.pm

The Department of Health has adapted the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling: Stormwater Harvesting and Reuse (Phase 2) to Western Australian standards. The Draft Alternate Water Supply Guidelines – Stormwater and Rainwater (April 2009) refer to rainwater tanks used for communal water supply and are available on the Department of Health's website.

The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation's information on the benefits and design factors for rainwater tanks and storage.

Water Corporation: List of waterwise plumbers in the Perth metropolitan area and country areas north and south of Perth. http://www.watercorporation.com.au/save-water/find-a-waterwise-specialist

Marsden Jacob Associates:The cost effectiveness of residential rainwater tanks in Perth. A report prepared for Water Corporation and the Department of Water, Perth, Western Australia, 2009.

Page last updated - 07 Apr 2015
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The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation was established by the Government of Western Australia on 1 July 2017. It is a result of the amalgamation of the Department of Environment Regulation, Department of Water and the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority. This website/publication may contain references to previous government departments and programs. Please contact the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation to clarify any specific information.

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