Environment

The Water Efficiency Project (WEP) complied with all environmental and cultural heritage legislation and has an exemplary safety record. By decommissioning open water storages and delivery systems such as dams and channels, WEP has eliminated the risk posed by this infrastructure to local communities.

Improving safety across the region

WEP has now decommissioned 8.5km of channel and installed 8km of pipeline in Kerang, including in the town itself. These works have provided a more efficient water service to over 100 customers and will generate around 1GL of water savings each year.

As well as improving water delivery efficiency, the removal of open channels has improved general safety in the area. This has been a great result for the town, and we thank the residents, businesses, and local council for working so closely with us as we delivered this work.

Left: Open channel, Kerang, May 2022. Right: Decommissioned channel, Kerang, February 2023

Meeting legislative requirements

In delivering the Project, GMW complied with all environmental and cultural heritage legislation. During WEP development, consultation was carried out in 2020 to assess the project against socio-economic criteria. Following consultation, the Victorian Minister for Water assessed the proposal against the socio-economic criteria. The Minister took into account the views of the community from public consultation.

The project was determined to have expected neutral or positive socio-economic outcomes. WEP was then submitted to the Commonwealth Government for funding consideration, which was secured.

An Environmental Management Framework was in place throughout the project. The framework was designed to meet our legal and environmental obligations, as well as the conditions in place as part of our project approval.

Environmental and Cultural Heritage values were assessed for each work site before any work starting.

WEP modernisation work was carried out with as little impact as possible.

For more information about the assessment process view the customer webinar presentation and summaries on the library page or visit the Engage Victoria website.

Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

The Project was approved as a controlled action under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Environmental Approvals

The Victorian Minister for Planning determined that the Project did not need to prepare an Environmental Effects Statement under the Environment Effects Act 1978 so long as the project met the required Environmental Conditions issued.

Environmental Management Framework

The Project established a Construction Environment Management Framework (CEMF) to provide oversight of its environmental and cultural heritage planning processes and construction activities.

Independent Audits

As part of our approvals, the Project was subject to annual independent audits for both its Construction Environment and Water Change Management Frameworks.

Each year the water savings are required to be verified through an independent audit in accordance with the Water Savings Protocol.

An independent reviewer will be engaged to verify the water savings generated by the Water Efficiency Project.