Benefits to flow from improved water quality

Wannon Water is excited to be on the way to improving water quality in Port Fairy, Portland and Heywood.

It’s part of the $52.2 million Quality Water for Wannon Program which is jointly funded by the Australian Government, through its National Water Grid Fund, and Wannon Water, who will deliver the project on behalf of its customers and the Victorian Government.

Managing Director Andrew Jeffers said the program would mean a lot for households in the three towns, reducing their cost of buying bottled water and maintaining appliances by around $140 each year.

“The benefits will also extend more broadly across the region with an estimated $1 million a year in public health savings, and improved economic and environmental outcomes,” Mr Jeffers said.

“Customers often ask us why the taste of drinking water across our region varies so much. It’s because we manage a complex range and number of water sources which all have their own unique characteristics. They include shallow bores, deep aquifers, surface catchments and a roof water harvesting system.”

Port Fairy, Portland and Heywood are all supplied with deep groundwater which is high in naturally occurring mineral salts. While the water is safe to drink and the supply is very reliable, many people find the taste is less palatable and this leads to reduced consumption.

Mr Jeffers said Wannon Water assessed multiple options for all three towns in 2022. “We concluded that adding filtration (reverse osmosis) to the local groundwater is the preferred approach to reduce the saltiness to levels similar to our other water supplies across the region.

“In response to suggestions from the Port Fairy Pipeline Support Group, we’ve recently completed an additional detailed comparison of the option to connect Port Fairy to the Otway Water Supply System.”

One option is to connect Port Fairy to the Otway Water Supply System via a new pipeline from Warrnambool. The other option is to add additional filtration (reverse osmosis) to the existing local groundwater supply to reduce the salt content.

“Each option has strengths, however the local treatment option is the recommended approach based on all the assessment criteria,” Mr Jeffers said. “This includes the lower costs involved, the greater reliability of both water quality and water security, and less upstream impacts on the environment.

“We’re now seeking feedback from customers and interested stakeholders on what we need to consider when implementing the Quality Water for Wannon Program in their community.”

People interested in learning more about the program and providing input can go to engage.wannonwater.com.au