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Victoria’s Barwon region councils with large nature reserves and sporting grounds are being assisted in identifying ways to reduce their water consumption.

Large water users in Victoria’s Barwon region - incorporating the local government areas of the City of Greater Geelong, Borough of Queenscliffe, Surf Coast Shire, Golden Plains Shire and Colac-Otway Shire - have saved over 40 million litres of water over the past year and will save even more water via the State Government’s WaterSmart program.

The WaterSmart program assists large non-residential water users, such as councils, hospitals and aged-care facilities to reduce the amount of water they use through water data monitoring and audits.

The initiative will be expanded to include water audits of community sporting grounds to identify opportunities to use water more efficiently.

Data collected is already helping non-residential customers across the Barwon region to better understand their water use, identify leaks or other forms of water waste, and improve water efficiency.

Surf Coast Shire Council is among the participating councils that have benefited from the early detection of a leak at one of its community facilities.

About 390,000 litres of water at Bellbrae Reserve was saved – more than an Olympic-sized swimming pool and equal to about $1000 off the council’s water bill – through the data-led intervention.

Victorian Minister for Water Harriet Shing has announced $610,000 for Barwon Water through the second round of the WaterSmart program, which has been successful in saving millions of litres of water the region since 2023.

Barwon Water is a government owned statutory authority that controls much of the water system in Geelong, Victoria, Australia including the reservoirs, and the sewerage and drainage system that services the city and surrounding districts.

What is being funded?

• The WaterSmart program provides eligible organisations with water use monitoring for three years or a one-off water efficiency audit of their site.
• Digital monitoring, either through data loggers or digital water meters, allows organisations to understand better how they are using water and to identify leaks or other forms of water waste at their sites.
• Water efficiency audits help organisations identify where they are using the most water and make recommendations on how to use water more efficiently.
• Audits can identify things like equipment and fixture upgrades or changes in water use behaviours that can save a lot of water.

Barwon Water will use the smart data and water audits to identify and make recommendations that can lead to savings, including identifying opportunities to use high-quality recycled water instead of drinking water where possible.

For more information on the WaterSmart program visit, water.vic.gov.au/our-programs.

Image. Bellbrae nature reserve Credit: Surf Coast Shire

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