A strategy outlining a pathway to secure the region’s water future over the next 50 years has been launched by Water Minister Harriet Shing at Officer Primary School.
The Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy aims to meet the challenges of a drying climate and the demands of a growing population by ensuring access to safe drinking water and strengthening the resilience of Melbourne and Geelong’s water grid.
Work to deliver the strategy will include building on successful programs like the Schools Water Efficiency Program, which has helped 1328 schools save more than 9.9 billion litres of water and cut down their water bills.
This program gives schools technology, specialist advice and curriculum materials to teach kids how to manage and monitor water use.
The strategy also prioritises future investment into recycled water and stormwater infrastructure that will be used for non-drinking purposes like industry, agriculture and keeping our sporting fields, parks and gardens green.
Ms Shing said an investment in critical infrastructure for recycled and stormwater as well as education around water-saving habits had already begun.
“We need to meet the challenges of climate change and increased demand for water to ensure a reliable water supply is always available for our environment and the industries, agriculture, communities and jobs that rely on it,” Ms Shing said.
This year the Victorian Government has invested more than $10 million towards new stormwater harvesting and recycled water projects as part of the Integrated Water Management Grants as well as co-invested in the $72 million Dingley Recycled Scheme that will unlock 1800ML of recycled water each year for Melbourne’s southeast.
The strategy also includes arrangements to allocate 16 gigalitres of the 3-4 Bench water entitlement in the Latrobe Valley to deliver outcomes for Traditional Owners, the environment and irrigated agriculture.
A new daily water use target for Melbourne was also introduced, encouraging households to stick to 150 litres of water per person, per day.
The strategy was developed in partnership with Traditional Owners and aims to increase their access to water entitlements without taking from existing entitlement holders.
To view the full strategy, visit water.vic.gov.au/sws
