Minister Tim Holding visits Bentleigh Secondary College as Water-Learn it! Live it! awards its first gold secondary school.

Bentleigh Secondary College, the first secondary school in Melbourne to achieve Gold accreditation were recently presented with their award by Water Minister Tim Holding. 

"The students and staff at Bentleigh Secondary College have set a fantastic example to all Melburnians and they have done a fantastic job of reducing their water use, raising awareness and encouraging behaviour change around water sustainability issues," said Mr Holding.

The school's sustainability focus has also been recognised by the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments. Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Climate Change and Water has recently visited the school to learn more about its work. The State Government has held a Community Cabinet meeting at the school, and Gavin Jennings, Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Innovation hosted a student forum at the school, focusing on climate change and sustainability.

Other water saving achievements include:

• Reducing water use from more than 10 ML per year in 2006 to only 1.3ML per year. This lead Bentleigh Secondary College to be declared the overall winner of the South East Water's HydroShare (smart meter) pilot program for recording the largest reduction in water use of all 45 schools involved in the pilot.
• The school has cut its water use through fixing underground leaks, installing multiple rainwater tanks, participating in the Schools Water Efficiency Program, ensuring all water using appliances are water efficient, and many other initiatives. Since 2006 / 2007 these initiatives have generated cost savings of approximately $19,000. 
• A TV screen in the school office displays real time water use, raising water awareness for the whole school community as well as for visitors to the college.
• This year the school completed the construction of a wetland that captures and cleans stormwater and then uses it for irrigation across the school grounds. The wetland also provides the school with an outstanding outdoor teaching space and provides habitat for numerous species.
• Water and sustainability is a strong component of the curriculum across years 7-10.