coolmelbourne.org

THE GREBIENS: The back yard of Alf and Heidi Grebien's home in Shirley St, Altona Meadow, is a virtual paradise of vegetation _ an immaculate and lovingly tended collection of lemon trees, roses, a banana plant, lush green lawn and row upon row of orchids _ almost 400 of them.

They are all kept alive without a drop of town water.

Since moving into the house in the early 1970s, Mr and Mrs Grebien have installed four water tanks holding 5500 litres of water.

They drain their laundry, bathroom and kitchen waste water into their back yard as well through long hoses - and even keep their nature strip verdant with pumped rainwater.

Their water consumption is so low that the service charges on their quarterly bills are higher than their water usage charge.

"We don't waste a drop,'' said Mrs Grebien with pride.

"It hurts me to see people using sprinklers. Some people don't care about wasting water.

"It should be compulsory for people to install a water tank when they build a house.

"It's ridiculous that so much water goes down the drains and out to sea every time it rains.''

The couple have not claimed a cent in government rebates, because Mr Grebien, who was a truck driver until he retired 14 years ago, baulked at paying $600 a tank for a plumber to connect them. He did it all himself.