Water quality improvements for Port Fairy, Portland and Heywood

Wannon Water has announced a $52.2 million project to improve the water quality in Heywood, Portland and Port Fairy.

The Quality Water for Wannon project will be jointly funded through the National Water Grid Fund which has provided $26.1 million, and through Wannon Water borrowings.

The three towns 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, the taste is not satisfactory to many people and this leads to reduced consumption.

Managing Director Andrew Jeffers said the Quality Water for Wannon Project will improve the taste of the water, delivering better public health, cost-of-living, commercial and economic, and environmental outcomes.

“Our research suggests that encouraging higher rates of water consumption will help to combat the higher rates of obesity and dental health issues faced in this region compared to the rest of Victoria,” Mr Jeffers said.

“The project will also reduce the amount spent on bottled water and the maintenance of household appliances and plumbing fittings. There will also be significant benefits to small businesses and industry from providing improved water quality.”

Mr Jeffers said federal funding was secured based on a business case which showed local treatment using reverse osmosis was the best option for all three communities. One other option for Port Fairy is to connect the town to the Otway Water Supply via a new pipeline from Warrnambool.

“We are yet to make a decision on a preferred solution for Port Fairy, but we still believe local treatment provides the best long-term benefit for our customers and the region.

“However, following discussions with the Port Fairy Pipeline Supply Support Group, we committed to undertake a thorough analysis of the pipeline option for Port Fairy. We’ve appointed consulting engineers to carry out this work, including considering all the information provided by the pipeline group.

“We’re expecting that work will be finalised in the next few months, and we’ll then seek community feedback on our preferred solution.”

Further information on the project is available on our Engage & Explore project page.