Inquiry into Melbourne's Future Water Supply

Western Water appreciates the opportunity to provide this submission to the Environment & Natural Resources Committee of Parliament (ENRC) on the abovementioned inquiry.

1. About Western Water

Western Water is one of Victoria's thirteen regional urban water corporations. We provide water and sewage services to over 52,000 properties and 130,000 people. Our service covers 3,000 square kilometres extending from Lancefield in the north to Melton and Rockbank in the south and from Myrniong in the west to Bulla in the east. Our service area incorporates parts of Hume City Council and Melton, Moorabool and Macedon Ranges Shire Councils.

Western Water is the second largest regional urban water corporation in terms of population served, is located in the fastest growing area west of Melbourne and has experienced growth rates in excess of 4.6% pa over the last five years.

We operate seven recycled water plants, where sewage and trade waste collected from our domestic, commercial and industrial customers, is treated and recycled for appropriate use.

Western Water is innovative and has demonstrated leadership in a number of areas, in particular recycled water. Western Water has been acknowledged by the National Water Commission as the leading major urban water recycling business in Australia, achieving 86% recycling of all water entering its recycled water plants in 2001/08.

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19 August 2008

2. Terms of Reference

Western Water has now experienced eleven years of below average rain with its storages currently at record low levels viz: Rosslynne Resenroir 3.4% and Lake Merrimu 12.7 %.

In order to supply water to the region and cater for the significant growth Western Water has in recent years spent $27M on interlinking its systems and connecting to the Melbourne supply. In 2007/08 96% of the water supplied in the region was sourced from the Thomson/Yarra entitlement of 1 1.25GL which Western Water holds.

As a result of this arrangement Western Water has a vital interest in the ENRC inquiry and any resulting supplementation of Melbourne's water supply.

3. Water Supply Security

The following strategic documents capture all actions being undertaken to ensure a secure supply of water to the region.

Securing Our Water Together, Victorian Government White Paper (2004) Regional Action Plan (RAP) for the Western Water Region (2005) Western Water's Water Supply Demand Strategy (WSDS) (2006) Central Region Sustainable Water Strategy (CRSWS) (2006) and Our Water Our Future -The Next Stage (2007).

The table below lists the key options identified to provide secure water supplies to Western Water's customers over the next 50 years. The table shows target volumes in ML for each option over the next 50 years along with the corresponding CRSWS action reference number.

-..,serw-.,-. - .- -..-.-,.-, Water demand management I C R Weskatn W&r w l l ~mplernmt a rang. or 00-naYon n d dld.nqmeasurnwtnnn th #crid.nlid wdol(hoi* m d nridmthlsaotor In ordariom.atib n u o o ~ r v . t i o n I a r ~ * . ' ' ' I 5 ' 3 I 8

InwasUgah 1.hnolaqlo.l dvmcrr and o ~ o h m t r r r t o r ~ b ~ u waMrmquImmarf uJM ~ - d . c l rnhr h IniMJln, irmstn (h. WeRtben uWnnent

Yhrhrn Wd., ulll Ipg#rdeth.dsUng ldr8shudun d n g W8 Inn81 W d t r tha Mdboum mpplyspht and pumh- addY0rml unhl ~ i ~ h k f m m m Wbourne pod.(Tha Implmant.tlon dat. shewn olZCO9 d a n f o r pelrl¶lenM oftha ournnt Iol lMouQ I

I The B o w m m m t ~ l b . R d ~ r 6 0 per 4entoftha unAec&d i n d a l n Wn Manlmu towniem w ~ t f o r + p p l y t o ~ a a o h v r MlUh and M8WnLurb#n -at n r d a 0 1 0 0 H H 32 H 3 8 8 1 8 z S 1 8 1

FURTHER OPTIONS IDENTIFIED

Included amongst the options for supplementing the regions water supply are: further water savings through an extensive conservation and water use efficiency program, targeting 30% reduction from 1990's average consumption by 2020 reuse of treated wastewater targeting 100% recycling with a focus on potable substitution eg: Eynesbury and Melton South dual pipe systems use of groundwater with the development of borefield between Romsey and Lancefield collection of stormwater as a valuable resource if it can be harvested, treated and stored efficiently. Rebates for property owners to install tanks to capture rainwater and small scale stormwater reuse processes are in place with a focus on potable substitution other optional water sources include water trading, substitution of environmental flows and increased storage capacity in local reservoirs.

Opportunities for small locally based desalination plants have not been identified within Western Water's region.

4. General

Western Water has committed to a wide range of actions to supplement its water supply to meet the predicted demands for the next 50 years.

The strategic documents referred to earlier which capture these actions were subject to significant customer and community input. In particular Western Water's WSDS was a major focus in the most recent deliberation in its Water Plan 2008-20 13.

Key aspects of Western Water's WSDS relate to: growth demand management, conservation and water efficiency savings potable substitution and access to additional water sources, first local resources and then water from external sources, including augmented Melbourne supply.

As a result Western Water is vitally interested in the ENRC deliberations and if deemed appropriate would be pleased to elaborate further on this submission.

Yours sincerely

Wilkinson MANAGING DIRECTOR