Noyea Riverside Retirement Village has significantly expanded the capacity of their own on-site dam, which now holds 650,000 litres, or an additional two months’ water supply. This allows them to be self-sufficient in maintaining their extensive gardens without any town water, quite a feat given the village grounds span 20 acres on the banks of the Albert River.
Dam levels in South-East Queensland fell during autumn and combined dam levels are now 64 per cent, a drop of more than four per cent compared to this time last year. Meanwhile, the average consumption per person has increased by about 10 litres per day.
Seqwater has urged locals to remain water-wise throughout winter, and residents at Noyea Riverside Retirement Village are leading the charge. Village Manager Darren Adams says the dam expansion will sustain the community of 177 residents well into the future.
“The dam is the only source of water that we use to irrigate the village grounds and gardens. We capture rainwater from 40 villas and this feeds into the dam,” he said.
“We estimate that by expanding its width and depth, we’ve added another 150,000 litres, or two months, to our water capacity. This is particularly timely during COVID-19 restrictions, when many people in the broader community are tending to their gardens and water usage has increased.”
Mr Adams said village residents are environmentally aware and very mindful of their water consumption. “The Body Corporate made the decision to expand the dam using resident funds, to shore up our water capacity, maintain our beautiful grounds, and reduce their water rates,” he said.
“As a community, we do a raft of other things to conserve water. In addition to the dam, our Head Gardener plants drought-resistant plants that require less water, and mulches often to keep moisture in the soil. We also fill our pool from our rainwater tank.
“In the 18 months I’ve been Village Manager, we got down to having about four days of water left in the dam. It’s satisfying to know that as a community, we’ve made an environmental decision to future-proof our gardens and help safeguard us in times of drought.
“The dam is one of the hallmarks of our village and our residents are very proud of the gardens. From the clubhouse, you have a picturesque view of the dam over the pool and the lush parkland.”
Noyea Riverside Retirement Village offers 149 independent living villas, each with a strata title. The one, two and three-bedroom villas are spacious and open plan, and offer a fully-appointed kitchen and bathroom, private courtyard and secure car parking. The village is home to a vibrant and social community and is set among beautiful parkland on the banks of the Albert River in Mount Warren Park.
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