Where’s The Water Coming From?

MWPS CASE STUDY 2019

At the beginning of 2019, during a student led water audit, it was discovered that our water tanks across the school had been disconnected from use. Nobody could tell us by whom or why they have been disconnected or even how long they have been disconnected for.

We knew that one water pump on our main tank which waters the permaculture gardens had failed and needed to be replaced. This is itself has been a major issue as the serial number of the pump has faded into obscurity and the company believes that it cannot help us without it. We are now in the process of trying to find another company that will help us to repair the pump. One of the main water using sites in our school is the permaculture garden so it is imperative that this pump is fixed. This would significantly decrease our use of mains water for the permaculture gardens and potentially the irrigation of the oval.

This then brings us to the mystery of the other six disconnected water tanks across the school. These tanks are used for the flushing of the school’s toilets, and with over 800 students, that’s a lot of flushing! Dismayed by the thought that clean drinking water is being used to flush the toilets, the school has actively sought the help of our plumber to try and solve this huge dilemma. Again, if these tanks can be fixed, this will also significantly decrease our usage of mains water. Let me rephrase that…… WHEN these tanks ARE fixed, we will significantly decrease our mains water use.

This issue is alarming to say the least. As a Melbourne Water Kids Teaching Kids School, we are mortified to think that we are part of a global water wastage problem. We have made a commitment to upholding the Sustainable Development Goals and Goal 6 deals with ensuring access to water and sanitation for all. If we are wastage precious drinking quality water on flushing toilets, then we are contributing to the global water access issue. We do not want to be part of the problem; our main aim is to be part of the solution. Hence, fixing the tanks is a priority for us.

Suffice to say that this Case Study is not closed. There will be an update; there has to be.