2021-2022 Barwon Water Annual Report tabled

A proactive support program to help customers facing financial hardship, planning for a secure water future, reducing emissions and waste, and completing more than $53.2 million in vital water and sewerage infrastructure works are among highlights from Barwon Water’s 2021-22 annual report, tabled in Parliament this week.

Barwon Water's 2021-22 Annual Report also details how that even in the face of the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, wild weather and international events impacting supply chains Barwon Water continued to deliver strong and financially sustainable results for its customers.

Managing Director Tracey Slatter said Barwon Water had maintained its commitment to keeping prices low and delivering affordable, safe and secure water services to customers while at the same time investing more than $53 million to replace and upgrade water and sewerage infrastructure as well as building new water infrastructure in places like Armstrong Creek to support future growth.

“Another highlight was finalising our next Urban Water Strategy: Water for our Future, which was co-designed with our community to meet the region’s long-term water security needs. We also embarked on our next Price Submission engagement to inform our 2023-28 price period plan.

“Along with ongoing investments in a number of renewable energy projects, we continued to progress our Renewable Organics Networks in Colac and in partnership with local councils, reducing waste, emissions and electricity costs for our customers.

“We were also very proud to progress our Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan, which is now with Reconciliation Australia for review, in which we have committed to learning from and developing strong relationships with Traditional Owners, and embedding reconciliation in everything we do.”

Ms Slatter said Barwon Water’s operations have a significant impact on the region’s economy and liveability.

“Our vision, laid out in our Strategy 2030, is to be an enabler of regional prosperity by providing safe, secure and sustainable water to our customers, with trust, affordability and value a cornerstone of the way we do it.

“We continue to respond to critical issues such as helping vulnerable customers, adapting to climate change, population growth, and protecting the environment.”

Barwon Water's 2021-22 Annual Report was submitted in accordance with the Financial Management Act 1994.

The 2021-22 annual report is available on Barwon Water’s website here.

Highlights from the annual report include:

• Submitted our Urban Water Strategy - Water for our Future to the Water Minister
• Implemented recycled water initiatives, including increasing recycled water use on the Bellarine thanks to a Victorian government grant of $7.5 million to upgrade the Portarlington Water Reclamation Plant
• Our operations made a significant positive contribution to our region’s economy and liveability. During 2021-22, we generated revenues of $255 million supported by $3.2 billion in assets.
• $53.2 million invested to replace and upgrade water and sewerage infrastructure as well as building new water infrastructure in places like Armstrong Creek to support future growth
• Continuing to have one of the lowest average residential bills for water businesses with more than 100,000 customers with average bills continuing to fall in real terms
• Embarking on our next Price Submission engagement to inform our 2023-28 price period plan which again proposes price reductions for average bills (in real terms).
• Working with both Wadawurrung and Eastern Maar Traditional Owners to help guide us in how we source, move and potentially return water to rivers
• Working with Reconciliation Australia, local Traditional Owners and Aboriginal groups on the development of our second Reconciliation Action Plan
• Working closely with Wadawurrung Traditional Owners, other stakeholders and the local community to transform two of our disused sites (Porronggitj Karrong in Breakwater and our Bellarine Basin site on the Bellarine) into more than 95 hectares of environmental and public open space
• Winning the Australian Water Association’s National Organisational Excellence Award for our Aboriginal Employment and Retention Strategy
• Working collaboratively with local agencies and councils to deliver our Customer Support Strategy and help customers experiencing hardship
• Continuing the delivery of our Customer Affordability Pipeline, which through efficiency, innovation and improved practices will have generated $40 million of savings over five years, to ensure we can maintain the prices we committed to throughout 2018-23
• Implementing and planning for Renewable Organics Networks (RONs) for Colac and the broader G21 region to reduce organic waste to landfill, create renewable energy, generate jobs and drive economic growth through a circular economy
• Partnering with Barwon Health and GeelongPort on the Barwon Region Power Purchase Agreement from the Mount Gellibrand Windfarm, which means Barwon Water will meet its renewable energy use targets ahead of schedule
• Continuing to work collaboratively with our customers, community, stakeholders and industry through key projects including Water for our Future, the RONs, the Aqueduct
• Continuing to work proactively with community members, independent experts and stakeholders to remediate the confirmed impacts of historic groundwater management at Boundary Creek and Big Swamp.
• We also continued to progress the sale of surplus property under the Barwon Water Property Realisation Program to keep customer bills low.
• Continuing to help customers conserve water through the delivery of a number of water efficiency programs including leak detection and repair.