October 14, 2020
Quench the thirst for clean waterways this National Water Week
This week is National Water Week, a week organised by the Australian Water Association, inspiring individuals, communities and organisations to build awareness around the value of water.
With the majority of Australians able to access clean running water, it’s easy to forget the importance of it. Imagine for a moment you weren’t able to access any clean water. No showers, no brushing your teeth, no filling up your glass of water from the tap.
There are many measures in place to keep our water clean, but there are still risks of contamination in our waterways, including:
- Sewerage leaks
- Drainwater overflow
- Industrial waste leaks
- Medicines and other pollutants
Notably in Melbourne recently several suburbs were asked to boil their water due to a storm contamination concern. So what can you do to help ensure our waterways stay clean?
- Use environmentally safe products whenever possible
- Never pour chemicals down sinks or toilets
- Never dispose of your medicines in sinks or toilets
- Recycle as much as possible
- Reduce water use
- Minimise runoff from your property
One simple way you can help is by taking any unwanted or expired medicines to your local pharmacy, where they will safely be collected and destroyed by an EPA-approved incinerator. To find out other ways you can participate in this week’s National Water Week, visit the Australian Water Association website.