Australian Water Management Review Vol 2 2013 | Page 33

New Melbourne Water Management Plans Unveiled
The Victorian government has unveiled new plans for water management in Melbourne, which could see a reduction in water billing charges for households.
According to water minister Peter Walsh, the draft whole-of-water-cycle strategy could help protect people from price increases brought about by poor planning decisions. A central part of the initiative, which is named Melbourne’s Water Future, is to use more rainwater, stormwater and wastewater to ease the state’s reliance on dams. “By matching the water source to the right water use we will have enough water for Melbourne’s future population to live in a green, attractive city even through times of drought,” Mr Walsh explained. “All Melburnians are invited to have their say on Melbourne’s Water Future, either online or in person at one of several community discussion forums to be held across the city in August this year.” The government said scientific and economic analysis shows using a variety of different sources of water for non-drinking purposes could save the state in the region of $7 billion by 2050. According to Mr Walsh, the equivalent of 25,000 Olympic swimming pools worth of quality drinking water is flushed down Melbourne toilets every year. The state can no longer afford to allow this amount of water to simply wash out into the sea, he added. Not only will Victoria save money on wasted water, the minister said, significant savings will be made by reducing the need for expensive pipes and pumps to move water across the capital. A reduction in the need for expensive new dams and desalination plants was also highlighted, with local capture and use of water becoming more of a priority. Other reported benefits include lowering harmful nutrients in waterways by 20 per cent and up to a 35 per cent decline in energy use across the state’s water sector. For more industry updates visit www.gentrack.com/blogs

Water Development in Victoria
The state of Victoria has recently provided an example of a good, sustainable water management strategy.
A $93 million water treatment plant has opened, and is predicted to save about two billion litres of drinking water every year. “The Northern Water Plant treats sewage and trade waste from Geelong’s northern suburbs to produce Class A recycled water for the Shell Geelong Refinery,” said Victorian minister for water Peter Walsh. “It will save about five per cent of Geelong’s current annual consumption, while the high-quality recycled water will also be available for other uses.” He also commented that this water plant is a prime example of governments, industry and a water corporation working together to create a sustainable water future. The new water facility is set to be unique in Australia, as it generates the highest class of recycled water from sewage containing a high proportion of industrial wastewater. Federal parliamentary secretary for sustainability and urban water Amanda Rishworth commented that this is an important investment for the future of water security, diversifying the water supply for Geelong and the Barwon region. Not only will drinking water be preserved, but the amount of waste water discharged into the ocean will be a lot less, and therefore the project is more environmentally friendly. Barwon Water chairman Dr Michael King commented that the opening was the culmination of a decade of planning, consultation and construction. The state government contributed $9.2 million to the project, Barwon Water $15.7 million and the federal government $20 million. The lion’s share of the funding came from Shell at $47.5 million. Those involved in water utility management may want to examine this project to see what lessons and information can be gleaned from this model. For more industry updates visit www.gentrack.com/blogs

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