Secure, sustainable water for west Gippsland

Warragul and Drouin’s water supply is secure for the medium-term future thanks to a new entitlement of 3.33 gigalitres per year from the Tarago Reservoir.

The announcement came this week with the release of the Victorian Government’s Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy and Gippsland Water’s Urban Water Strategy.

Gippsland Water managing director Sarah Cumming said the entitlement would provide much-needed certainty for the two rapidly growing west Gippsland towns, both of which were facing a short-term water availability shortfall.

“Our modelling shows that strong regional growth and the long-term trend of warmer and drier conditions will continue.

“This new water entitlement means our existing and future customers in the Warragul and Drouin area can depend on us to continue to provide safe and reliable reticulated water for decades to come.

“It will also be critical to supporting growth and investment in the local economy”.

Ms Cumming said the need to secure Warragul and Drouin’s water supplies was also highlighted as a priority by customers during recent engagement undertaken to develop its next five-year price submission to the Essential Services Commission.

“Based on that feedback, our upcoming price submission contains a promise to secure the entitlement as one of our top 10 projects, as well as funding to cover its annual cost,” Ms Cumming said.

The entitlement, which will provide an annual equivalent of 800 Olympic sized swimming pools, will start flowing to customers’ taps from July 2023. No additional infrastructure is needed.

Other actions in the Urban Water Strategy include partnering with Traditional Owners to make land and water available for cultural use, engaging with the community on water conservation and securing water supplies and wastewater treatment capacity in other areas of Gippsland for the years ahead.

For more information on Gippsland Water’s Urban Water Strategy, visit www.gippswater.com.au/uws