Barwon Water walks the talk for WaterAid

The next time you turn on a tap, consider this sobering statistic. Almost one in ten people do not have safe drinking water close to home.

Long, dangerous and painful walks to collect water are part of everyday life for hundreds of millions across the globe - predominantly women and girls.

To help address this, Barwon Water Group staff are putting their best foot forward to raise funds and awareness for ‘Walk for Water’.

The week-long event supports WaterAid, an international not-for-profit organisation that is committed to making clean water available for everyone, everywhere.

It encourages people to walk, run, or ride for five days from 30 September to 4 October, so that others won’t have to in the future.

Barwon Water Managing Director Shaun Cumming is taking it a huge step further, kicking off his ‘Walk for Water’ with a marathon following the Moorabool River on Sunday 29 September.

Starting at the Meredith-Steiglitz bridge, the 42.5-kilometre challenge will take him all the way to Lal Lal Falls, at the top of the Lal Lal Reservoir.

““While I am choosing to run for fun, hundreds of millions of people around the world have to walk for hours every day just to get clean water,” Mr Cumming said.

“This daily marathon to collect water often falls to women and girls. This in turn prevents them from accessing schooling, earning an income and breaking cycles of poverty and inequality.”

As part of ‘Walk for Water’, Barwon Asset Solutions Project Manager James Holt is hosting staff walks in Geelong (Tuesday 1 October) and Colac (Wednesday 2 October).

Mr Holt said we were lucky to live in a region with access to premier services and he was proud that Barwon Water was seeking to make a difference in an area of great need.

“After learning more about WaterAid and how they help, I thought of my own young family and felt grateful of what we get to enjoy, while finding perspective.

“It will be great to come together, walk in our amazing region and raise awareness.”

For more information on ‘Walk for Water’, visit fundraise.wateraid.org.au/event/walkforwater-2024/about-walk-for-water

The marathon also highlights that we cannot take our own water supplies for granted, with the Moorabool among the most flow-stressed rivers in Victoria.

Barwon Water is drawing on the knowledge of Wadawurrung Traditional Owners to better understand how it can return water to rivers, in support of Traditional Owner cultural values.

“It’s exciting to note we are on track to return 3.7 million litres per year to the Moorabool catchment by the end of next year, delivering on a promise outlined in 2022,” Mr Cumming said.

“Creating water flows down the river are vital on helping to maintain the health of a number of sites of cultural and environmental significance.”

Barwon Water has also committed $353,600 to support the Moorabool Catchment Restoration Program, which aims to enhance water quality and riverside vegetation within the catchment.

Barwon Water Managing Director Shaun Cumming with Wadawurrung Woman and Barwon Water Board Director, Corrina Eccles, at the Moorabool River near Meredith.