Sink wins national award for water saving

The Hughie Sink, a simple moulded-plastic sink insert invented in Queensland, has won the national awards recognising Australia’s outstanding water saving products or services.

The Hughie Sink fits into an average sink to collect water used to clean hands, wash vegetables or kitchenware so that the water can then be easily re-used for pot plants or the garden, instead of going down the drain. It was a selected finalist for its marketability.

It holds up to 7 L of water and costs around $25. It was named in memory of the late Hughie Alexander, a dairy farmer in Gippsland, Victoria, by his son Ian Alexander who lives near Townsville, Queensland, and who invented the device.

The inaugural awards were organised by Smart Approved WaterMark, Australia’s water conservation label for water-saving products around the home. The Smart WaterMark’s independent expert panel selected four products as finalists from over 140 products which have been proven to demonstrate water savings for the community.

“The panel concluded that all finalists deserved recognition as they demonstrate the diversity of water-saving products available for people to save water around the home and they help generate community debate about water conservation,” said the CEO of Smart WaterMark, Julian Gray.

Drawing from the wide range of over 140 Smart WaterMark-approved products and services, 12 were shortlisted and judged against four criteria:

• Innovation — is the product an innovative solution to water conservation and is it the first to market in its category?
• Design — is the product easy to use, install and well designed?
• Marketability — what is the price point, affordability and packaging of the product?
• Sustainability — what is the carbon footprint of the product?

“The panel — made up of a range of specialists with an expertise in water use — agreed that while the Hughie Sink scored the highest points, all shortlisted products were outstanding with the finalists even more outstanding,” said Gray.

The Smart WaterMark is found on products for the garden, rainwater harvesting, greywater systems, cleaning, pool covers and other products around the home. It is the sister scheme to the Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS) for indoor products.

The Smart WaterMark is funded by the Water Smart Australia program and supported by the federal government and all states and territories. It was originally established by the Water Services Association of Australia, the Australian Water Association, Nursery & Garden Industry Australia and Irrigation Australia Limited.

For more information, visit www.smartwatermark.org.