Stead Park even greener thanks to Barwon Water, COGG and Viva Energy partnership

Barwon Water, the City of Greater Geelong and Viva Energy’s Geelong Refinery are excited to announce the completion of a recycled water project that will help keep Stead Park’s sporting fields green year-round.

With the assistance of a $200,000 grant from the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action’s Integrated Water Management Program for Resilient Cities and Towns, the project upgraded and connected Stead Park’s irrigation system to Barwon Water’s Northern Water Plant (NWP).

The upgraded system, which included a new tank and pump set, was commissioned earlier this year meaning 25 ML of Class A recycled water is now available for watering the fields annually, meaning the same amount of potable water can be saved.

Barwon Water Interim Managing Director Shaun Cumming said he was pleased to announce the completion of another recycled water project that would save precious drinking water and thanked the City of Greater Geelong, Viva Energy and the state government for their contributions to the project.

“Thanks to $200,000 funding from the Victorian Government, a sharing of an unused recycled water allocation by Viva Energy and foresight and initiative by the City of Greater Geelong and Barwon Water staff, more of the recycled water at the Northern Water Plant can be put to productive reuse.”

The NWP was built in 2012 as a joint project between the Victorian and Federal Government, Viva Energy (previously Shell) and Barwon Water.

The NWP takes sewage from Geelong’s northern suburbs and the Viva Energy’s Geelong Refinery and treats it to produce high quality recycled water.

This plant has the ability to produce nearly 2,000ML of recycled water per year.

This has meant Viva Energy, previously one of BW’s biggest potable water customers, has significantly reduced its take from the Barwon Water drinking supply system.

Currently Viva Energy saves about 1300-1500ML of drinking water per year through using Class A water from the plant.

Greater Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan said Stead Park was a well utilised regionally significant reserve, home to two high quality synthetic hockey fields, nine softball/baseball diamonds, four soccer pitches, a bowls and darts club, BMX track, skate park and updated playground with BBQ facilities.

“By accessing recycled water from the Northern Water Plant, it enabled us to extend the reach of our irrigation system and water our 5.6 hectares of playing fields, while saving about 25 ML of potable water annually,” Mayor Sullivan said.

“The state funding has paved the way for upgraded pipework, supply tanks and connection to existing systems, while also allowing for future expansion.

“I’d like to thank Viva Energy for allowing access to their unused allocation of water from the Northern Water Plant, and Barwon Water in working with us to connect their supply.”

Viva Energy’s Executive General Manager – Refining, Dale Cooper, said it was pleasing to be able to share the unused recycled water allocation to support the greening of the local community’s outdoor spaces while saving precious drinking water.

“In recent years, Viva Energy has introduced a host of programs to improve the environmental performance of our operations,” Mr Cooper said.

“One of those is the highly successful water management and recycling program at the Geelong Refinery, which is saving the local community over a billion litres of water each year.

“We are very happy to see more of these water savings having a direct local impact with the use of the recycled water to irrigate Stead Park’s sports fields.”



Pictured left to right: Shaun Cumming, Barwon Water Interim Managing Director, Dale Cooper, Viva Energy Executive General Manager – Refining and Anthony Aitken City of Greater Geelong Deputy Mayor.