Shortly, Melbournians will be experiencing the Government\u2019s new water conservation campaign. While our metropolitan members prepare to disseminate messages targeting the major water-using behaviours in the home, I\u2019ve pondered a paradox that we continuously face in providing water to our customers. That paradox relates to reliability.<\/p>\n
Consider the tap. It\u2019s one of the world\u2019s most simple while most reliable inventions. Water turns on and off in the movement of a hand and meets our desired flow, volume and temperature. And the water never seems to cease.<\/p>\n
Only this month, we experienced power disruptions across the state caused by extreme weather conditions. But the taps kept running. Over summer, we expect brown-outs across the state. But we expect that our taps will keep running \u2013 thanks to the hard work of our operations staff in the background.<\/p>\n
What if, one day, it did cease? I imagine there would be shock.<\/p>\n
Researchers, such as Ruth Morgan<\/a> and Graeme Davidson<\/a>, have considered the role of lifestyle technologies in our water consumption since European settlement. As technologies to support three c\u2019s of comfort, cleanliness and convenience<\/a> have developed, so has water consumption. Until the Millennium Drought, it had grown nearly 300 percent. Tracing the linkages between popular technology consumption and water use, the researchers have shown that the incorporation of the bathroom inside the home, the adoption of the automatic washing machine and dishwasher, the suburban garden, and the backyard swimming pool have created conveniences and enjoyments that were previously consigned to less frequent and special occasions.<\/p>\n