Icon Water joins the Race to Zero
As the world turns to Glasgow for the launch of the COP26 summit, Icon Water is joining several Australian water utilities to participate in the Race to Zero global campaign. This United Nations-backed initiative aims to rally support from businesses and cities worldwide to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest.
Icon Water Managing Director Ray Hezkial said that joining the Race to Zero initiative naturally aligns with the planning Icon Water has already undertaken to reduce our carbon footprint and help to ensure Canberra’s water security.
‘As a collective, we have an obligation to future generations and ourselves as custodians of one of our planet’s natural resources, and I believe our legacy as an industry will ultimately be measured by our sense of urgency in protecting it,’ said Ray Hezkial.
Icon Water is committed to reduce its carbon emissions, and strongly supports the ACT Climate Change Strategy target of net zero emissions by 2045. We are already working to adapt to climate change through our Climate Change Adaptation plan, launched in 2020, by:
- eliminating greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy efficiency through emission reduction programs
- collaborating with our partners and the community through education and water conservation programs, to ensure wise water use
- ensuring infrastructure can withstand changing climate conditions now and in the future with continuity of essential services.
We are also continuously working towards developing new sustainability initiatives such as our No Opportunity Wasted program, which supports the effective reuse of resources that would potentially be wasted. For example, Icon Water transforms the residue from wastewater processing into Agri-Ash, which is reused by local farmers as a soil enhancer.
Icon Water is also collaborating with the water industry to find ways to reduce nitrous oxide emissions produced by wastewater treatment activities.
As an essential service provider, Icon Water’s purpose is to work closely with the Canberra community to sustain and enhance the quality of life for all Canberrans. That is why we are committed to planning for the future and building resilience to both existing and future climate change initiatives.
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