Net Zero Carbon Water Cycle
Water use in Melbourne households accounts for 3.8% of Melbourne's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – similar to the total domestic and international travel of Australia.
The Net Zero Carbon Water Cycle (NZCWC) Program identifies technical, behavioural and enabling factors that lead to sustainable reductions in water related energy (electricity and gas) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the use of water in the entire water cycle across metropolitan Melbourne.
The NZCWC Program has three Projects:
- Project 1 – Towards Net Zero Carbon Water for Residential Household: Drivers for energy reduction in the use of water in residential households.
- Project 2 – Towards Net Zero Carbon Water for Industry and Businesses: Drivers for energy reduction in the use of water in industry and businesses.
- Project 3 – The cooling of urban areas: Drivers for reduction of energy use in households and industry resulting from water related urban design features that reduce urban heat impacts.
The following reports relate to Project 1, Phase 2: Develop feasible options.
The NZCWC Program is a Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA, formerly DELWP) funded collaboration between The University of Queensland, Monash University, Yarra Valley Water (YVW), South East Water (SEW), and Greater Western Water (GWW).
Key findings
- Research indicates that a Melbourne-wide program for showerhead retrofit could lower GHG emissions by 98-226 kilo-tonnes per year, which equates to taking 21,000 to 49,000 cars off Melbourne roads.
- Both Phase 1 and Phase 2 demonstrated that shower technology and showering behaviour change are high priority options to pursue as they have the greatest impact on GHG emissions, water efficiency, wastewater flows, cost-impacts, and have the highest overall net benefits.
- The diverse social factors influencing households in different contexts throughout the greater Melbourne region play a critical role in shaping residential water-energy use experiences, needs and capacities (and associated efficiency and GHG reduction outcomes).
- Significant water, energy, and GHG emissions can be achieved with the installation and appropriate use of more efficient showerheads and particularly with provision of related information to households. This information could include: (a) potential savings (water, energy, GHG and cost) with different types of technology or behaviour changes, or (b) actual savings associated with actual changes.
- More needs to be done to engage and bring both community and government along to ensure the appropriate enabling and social factors are addressed to provide for a sustainable scalable outcome.
Read the full reports
1.2.3 Interventions Pilot Report
1.2.4 Interventions Pilot Behavioural Analysis Report
1.2.5 Enabling Environment Report