Mandatory Water Saving Targets for New Homes

Mandatory Water Saving targets for all new homes come into effect in the former Cairns City Council area from July 1 2008 and in the former Douglas Shire area from July 1 2009.

The minimum requirements are set out in the Queensland Development Code (QDC) part MP 4.2.

Households in the Cairns Regional Council are required to achieve water savings of 44,000 litres per annum for new detached houses and 26,000 litres for other new Class 1 dwellings.

To achieve the targets water must be sourced by means other than the use of the reticulated town water supply.

The QDC specifies a number of acceptable solutions to meet the targets –

• Household rainwater tanks
• Communal rainwater tanks
• Greywater treatment plants
• Dual reticulation
• Stormwater reuse or
• A combination of the above

Compliance with water saving targets is assessed during the building approval process.

Household rainwater tanks installed to meet the requirements of the QDC part MP 4.2 must be approved by a building certifier during the building approval process.

Compliance measures such as dual reticulation, communal rainwater tanks or stormwater reuse may be put in place during the relevant stage of the development process. This may occur at the material change of use or the reconfiguration of lot(s) stages.

A full copy of the QDC part MP 4.2 is available on the Department of Infrastructure and Planning’s website – www.dip.qld.gov.au.

Alternative Water Sources - Commercial Buildings

All new commercial and industrial buildings will be required to use alternative water sources and this will come into effect in the former Cairns City Council area from July 1 2008 and in the former Douglas Shire area from July 1 2009.

The minimum requirements are set out in the Queensland Development Code (QDC) part MP 4.3.

Alternative water sources can be –

• Rainwater Tanks
• Water storage tanks
• Greywater treatment plants or
• A combination of the above

Compliance with alternative water sources for commercial buildings is assessed during the building approval process. The building certifier may assess the building a compliant if an alternative water source is used to supply water to the minimum mandatory connections.

A full copy of the QDC part MP 4.3 is available on the Department of Infrastructure and Planning’s website – www.dip.qld.gov.au.

Contact Building Services Authority - 1300 BSA BSA - www.bsa.qld.gov.au for the following document:

Domestic Rainwater Harvesting in Queensland, a homeowners Guide to Positioning, Installation, Connection and Maintenance of Domestic Rainwater Tanks and their associated Roof Water Collection Systems, Building Services Authority.

For more information contact CRC Building Services 4044 3583