The results are in…

The majority of residents in six study areas of the Cooks River Catchment consider education, rather than law enforcement, as the key to improving our waterways and believe that their daily activities have a negative impact on the quality of Cooks River. These are just two of the interesting results published in the OurRiver – Cooks River Sustainability Initiative 2008 Community Water Survey.

Late last year, 2,500 residents from across the Catchment took part in the survey, which also reveals that over 50 per cent of respondents believe the state of the environment is more important than jobs. The survey took into account environmental attitudes and knowledge, current water use and willingness to reuse water.

OurRiver’s Acting Project Manager, Sue Pritchard, said the majority of surveyed residents had a good understanding of stormwater systems and their connection with waterways, but were divided about whether the government or individuals should be responsible for their management.

“Interestingly, 45 per cent of respondents disagree that governments should bear the main responsibility for the waterway environment rather than the individual. This shows a strong community ownership and responsibility towards the river. However, 34 per cent believe the government should be mainly responsible,” said Ms Pritchard.

The survey also shows that three quarters of the surveyed residents would halve their shower times to save water, and that between over 80 per cent would be willing to use rainwater for toilet flushing, watering the garden and washing the car if they had a tank.

The survey is part of a three year project funded by the NSW Environmental Trust’s Urban Sustainability Program. OurRiver is a partnership between eight councils – Ashfield, Bankstown, Canterbury, City of Sydney, Hurstville, Marrickville, Rockdale and Strathfield and is focused on six local areas within the Cooks River Catchment.

The project aims to improve the quality of water that flows to Cooks River through the development of a community vision and action plan for six local areas. It will create new relationships between councils and the community that will provide ongoing long-term benefits for Cooks River.

The survey, said Ms Pritchard, will “help identify any need for community education, and will inform other policy and planning as part of an overall strategy to improve the health of Cooks River and its catchment.”

Media Contact
Sam Bartlett
9335-2047
comco@marrickville.nsw.gov.au

Click here to view the full survey report.
Click here to learn more about community involvement in the OurRiver project.

Click the links below to view survey results for the six individual study areas:
Ashbury
EC East
Munni Street
Rookwood Road
Strathfield South
Upper Wolli Creek