Sydney Water campaign says "turn it off"

In a bid to reduce household water consumption during the winter months, Sydney Water has teamed up with entertainer and water activist Shane Jacobson on a new campaign encouraging consumers to think differently about water use.

The campaign, titled Turn it off, Bob, features Jacobsen in character as Bob and broaches the serious subject of water conservation with the help of Jacobson’s trademark humour.

The first of a three-part series of advertisements, the campaign launched this week with the aim of shortening shower times during the colder months. Showers account for more than 26% of total household water consumption in NSW.

Sydney Water Customer, Strategy and Engagement General Manager Maryanne Graham said educating the public on water use plays a key role in effective water conservation.

“We’ve had great success in reducing water consumption through education campaigns that traditionally run during the hotter summer months,” Graham said.

“This campaign highlights that it’s the behaviours we adopt all year round that ultimately help us keep water in our dams in periods of low rainfall.”

Graham said having Jacobsen as the face of the campaign is the perfect fit for Sydney Water: “Shane’s passion for water and his tremendous ability to cut through are a great match for Sydney Water”.

“Our customers have told us they want to know more about how they can save water and this campaign is all about doing just that.

“Just one drop of water per second dripping from a shower or tap adds up to 7000 litres of water each year, so shaving a minute off your shower can help us save millions of litres each year.

“It’s a win-win: we save water, our customers save money and we keep water in our dams for when our customers need it most.”

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV1om6Goxp0[/embed]

A long-time water conservation activist, Jacobson said his passion for water started at a young age, an appreciation he now wants to pass onto his own children.

“I was taught at a young age to respect water and truly understand its worth,” he said.

“It really is liquid gold — we don’t have an unlimited supply of water, and we know that drought can creep up on us quickly, so every drop we save now keeps drought at bay for another day.

“Even when it’s raining our behaviour shouldn’t change. How we value water today affects how much we have for tomorrow.

“For me — understanding the broader impact of my actions today, and the example I set for my kids — it’s just a no-brainer.”