Finish is celebrating National Water Week (18 October – 22 October 2021) by donating much needed tanks and water to farmers in need.
The first water tank delivery took place in Dalma, west of Rockhampton, where farmer Julie Sheehan welcomed both a 22,500L water tank and water delivery to her property.
Ms Sheehan says: “This really does make a big difference. While there may be green grass growing above ground, for many properties the soil underneath is still very dry and challenging to grow crops or fodder for cattle. The drought of 2019 was terrible, but today access to water continues to be an issue for many people. Having a new tank to help secure water for when rain comes is a huge relief and a brilliant way to support farming communities into the future. I would like to extend a thank you, on behalf of all Central Queensland farming families, to Finish, Rural Aid and Coles for their support of this amazing initiative and I encourage rural Australians struggling through drought recovery to reach out to Rural Aid for help.”
Despite positive weather events and rainfall earlier this year that allowed a number of drought affected areas to start recuperating, local water supplies are still recovering and remain below the levels they need to sustain rural communities (Australian Bureau of Meteorology July 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021). In Queensland, over 60% of the state remains in drought, with 34 LGAs experiencing water shortages (https://futurebeef.com.au/knowledge-centre/drought/).
Finish, in partnership with Rural Aid and supported by Coles, will be delivering water tanks to Australian farmers in need over the next six months, to help ensure that any rain that falls now will be captured for future use to help farmers become more secure against drought. This effort is all part of #FinishWaterWaste, an initiative that came from the insight that “by simply stopping the habit of pre-rinsing dishes before stacking them in the dishwasher, Australians could save up to 40 litres of water per load and collectively save 20 billion litres of water in just one year.”
Rural Aid CEO John Warlters says: “Our farmers continue to experience the challenges of the ongoing drought, with many areas of Queensland not seeing the benefits of La Niña on their properties. The simple act of donating tanks is a brilliant way to help ensure we capture this rare rainfall so our farmers can have more water security in the future.”
Large parts of the country have experienced good rain. However, drought is still very real for many farming families and rural communities – a plight which deserves attention this National Water Week.
Coles General Manager of Non-Food Jonathan Torr says: “We know that there are farmers in parts of Australia who remain affected by drought. At Coles, we have an ambition to be Australia’s most sustainable supermarket and this initiative encourages Australians to save water while at the same time supporting drought-affected communities. Together to Zero and Better Together highlights Coles’ ambition to reduce its environmental impact while acknowledging that when we work together, we can make a real difference, especially to the communities in which we live and work.”
Reckitt Hygiene Regional Director Oliver Tatlow says: “With much of the country continuing to endure the impacts of drought, we’re pleased we can continue to support our farmers. Delivering water is fantastic, but water is finite. Our ambition is that by delivering tanks, our farmers can capture precious rainfall over and over again, giving them, their families and properties a lifetime of water security.
“Through our partners Rural Aid and Coles, we’ve been able to make this possible, and we look forward to delivering more water tanks to help make a positive difference to Australian farmers and ensure they are provided with the resources to become drought secure in the future.”
For more information on the campaign, visit finishwaterwaste.com.au.