Households Urged to Use Native Plants to Lower Water Consumption.
116,000 waterwise plants and 2,700 street trees funded in 2023-24.
$675,000 awarded to councils since 2019-20 under the Waterwise Greening Scheme.
Applications open for waterwise-endorsed local governments across WA.
Western Australian households are being encouraged to choose native plants to help reduce water use in their gardens. This initiative offers hundreds of thousands of free or subsidized native plants from local councils this financial year.
The program is part of the Water Corporation’s Waterwise Greening Scheme, which provides eligible councils with up to $10,000 in co-funding for urban greening projects.
In the 2023-24 fiscal year, the scheme funded 167 waterwise verges, 116,000 waterwise plants, 2,700 street trees, 15 gardening workshops, and four waterwise demonstration gardens.
Last year, a record 23 waterwise-endorsed councils received funding, bringing the total contribution of the scheme to $675,000 since 2019-20. During this time, Water Corporation and its partner councils provided 296,000 free or subsidized native plants, funded 1,000 waterwise verges, and planted 6,000 street trees.
This push for native plants comes in response to prolonged hot and dry weather across southern Western Australia. Perth experienced its driest six-month period in 150 years between October 2023 and April this year.
The Waterwise Greening Scheme promotes the use of native plants to create attractive, low-maintenance, and water-efficient gardens. This is crucial in Perth and southern WA, where climate change has led to a 20% decrease in annual rainfall since the 1970s and an 80% reduction in streamflow to metropolitan dams.
Since over a third of domestic water use occurs in gardens, selecting native waterwise plants can help conserve drinking water supplies and lower household bills.
The scheme aligns with the WA Government’s Kep Katitjin-Gabi Kaadadjan (Waterwise Perth Action Plan 2) to establish waterwise communities in Boorloo (Perth) and Bindjareb (Peel) by 2030.
Expressions of interest for the 2024-25 Waterwise Greening Scheme are now open to all waterwise councils in August. For more information, visit the Water Corporation’s website. Local governments will also publicize details about programs and workshops throughout the financial year.
According to Water Minister Simone McGurk, “The prolonged dry weather following last summer was a stark reminder of the need to adapt to a future with less reliable rainfall. One of the most effective ways to reduce domestic water consumption is in the garden, where over a third of household water is used.”
She added, “Native plants thrive in local conditions, requiring less maintenance and importantly, less water to withstand our long, hot summers. The Waterwise Greening Scheme can fund native plant giveaways, street trees, gardening workshops, and other initiatives by eligible councils to encourage residents to be waterwise in their gardens. It’s a fantastic collaboration that is helping to create cooler, greener, and more sustainable neighborhoods.”