Dunsborough Primary School is facing a significant challenge as its annual water expenses consistently surpass $100,000, a staggering amount that is over $70,000 higher than those of nearby educational institutions. The chair of the school board has expressed concerns that managing this hefty bill is diverting essential resources away from the broader school community.<\/p>\n
The Cook government has acknowledged the issue and is currently investigating the reasons behind this discrepancy while collaborating with the school to identify strategies for reducing both water usage and associated costs.<\/p>\n
Located approximately 250 kilometers south of Perth, Dunsborough Primary School serves around 700 students in a rapidly growing region. In recent years, the school’s water bills have soared to $135,000, straining the school’s ability to allocate funds effectively.<\/p>\n
Barb Black, the chair of the school board, emphasized the urgency of finding a resolution. She pointed out that the bill for the December\u2013January period was particularly alarming, considering the school was closed for 42 days during that time.<\/p>\n
Despite implementing various water conservation strategies in collaboration with the Water Corporation, including the installation of rainwater tanks and automatic shut-off taps, Ms. Black indicated that these efforts have not been sufficient to lower the expenses significantly.<\/p>\n
“We have literally tried every little thing to inch back that pricing,” she stated, highlighting the proactive measures taken by the school.<\/p>\n
Ms. Black further noted that the financial burden from the excessive water bill is detracting from vital resources needed to support students. “This is taking money away from supporting students, running intervention programs, providing extra assistance to students who need social and emotional support, and providing staff with professional development,” she said. She also mentioned that important improvements to school grounds and buildings have had to be postponed due to these costs.<\/p>\n
The disparity in water bills compared to other similarly sized schools, which report costs closer to $30,000, is largely attributed to the local water supply situation in Dunsborough. The school has only one oval, slightly smaller than a football field, and relies on a single, slow-releasing bore that meets less than 25 percent of its water needs.<\/p>\n
Vasse MP Libby Mettam explained that this limitation forces the school to purchase higher-quality drinking water to maintain its grounds. “If they didn’t, the school would be a dust bowl,” she remarked.<\/p>\n
Ms. Mettam added that although the school is recognized as water-wise, the high charges from the Water Corporation and a lack of innovative solutions have resulted in costs that are three to four times higher than those faced by other schools. She suggested that a transfer of assets to local supplier Busselton Water might help alleviate some of these financial pressures, but emphasized the need for the government to provide a non-potable water supply for the school.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for the WA government confirmed that the matter is under review. “The Cook government recognizes the long-standing concerns regarding water costs at Dunsborough Primary School,” they stated. “The Department of Education and Water Corporation have worked directly with the school to implement a range of water efficiency measures, which has significantly reduced the school’s water consumption and costs.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dunsborough Primary School is facing a significant challenge as its annual water expenses consistently surpass $100,000, a staggering amount that is over $70,000 higher than those of nearby educational institutions. The chair of the school board has expressed concerns that managing this hefty bill is diverting essential resources away from the broader school community. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6552,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[43,1595,66,1146,1147],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6553","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-australia","category-au-public-schools","category-au-state-and-territory-government","category-au-water-resources","category-au-water-supply"],"yoast_head":"\n