Australia is in the grip of its worst drought on record. The victim of changing weather patterns, attributed to global warming, the causes of the current drought – which commenced in 2002 – are complex. A recent report by the Water Services Association of Australia found that after a decade of punishing drought, authorities in all of Australia's mainland capital cities will need to find new sources of water in the next five to 10 years.
Because of Australia’s extreme water shortage and stringent water rationing measures, four Australian agencies with an interest in responsible water management developed the Smart Approved WaterMark certification program. The program’s goal is to guide homeowners, municipalities, contractors and commercial users of irrigation to choose products providing the highest level of water efficiency.
While the Smart Approved WaterMark program is based in Australia, its certification process has global implications. By choosing those products certified by the Smart Approved WaterMark program, people around the globe can do their part to help ensure that irrigation water is used in the most efficient and responsible manner possible.