Environmental policy

Purpose

Barwon Water’s activities impact both directly and indirectly on the natural environment, including air, land, water (surface water and groundwater), biodiversity and our regions catchments. Barwon Water will protect and enhance the environment, biodiversity, recognise and incorporate caring for Country values, and ensure risks are effectively managed.

The purpose of this policy is to provide corporate direction to ensure Barwon Water is committed to continual environmental improvement through the prevention of pollution, compliance with all relevant environmental obligations, meeting our General Environmental Duty (GED), and sustaining community expectations.

Scope

Barwon Water is a statutory corporation under the Water Act 1989 and is governed by a Board of Directors. Barwon Water is Victoria’s largest regional urban water corporation, providing high quality water, recycled water and sewerage services to customers across a service area that stretches from Little River and the Bellarine Peninsula in the east, to Colac in the west, and from Meredith and Cressy in the north, to Apollo Bay on Victoria's south-west coast.

Policy/Guidelines

Barwon Water will continue to build on our position as an environmental leader through an ethic of caring for Country and protecting the natural assets upon which we all depend. To achieve this, Barwon Water is committed to:

1. Driving an integrated approach to the management of environmental risks

This will be achieved through:

  • identifying, assessing, treating and mitigating environmental risks
  • appropriate tools for consistent environmental recording and reporting
  • maintaining an integrated SQE system including certification of our Environmental Management System to the AS/NZ ISO 14001 standard.

2. Enabling employee driven environmental care

This will be achieved through:

  • living environmental and cultural values every day through the course of all our business activities from project planning, delivery and operation
  • empowering staff through employee environmental training and awareness to fulfil their environmental obligations and General Environmental Duty
  • creating a connection to Country and learning to care for Country through the guidance of Traditional Owners.

3. Implementing leading initiatives for a healthier environment

This will be achieved through:

  • combating climate change by achieving 100 percent renewable electricity and net zero emissions by 2030 and building climate resilience into our built and natural assets, and services
  • building on our position as an environmental leader through partnering with Traditional Owners to care for Country, collaborating with our Environmental Advisory Committee, partner agencies and local communities, to protect and enhance our natural assets
  • protecting our region’s natural assets and enhancing catchment health and biodiversity values
  • eliminating waste and pollution, circulating products and materials (at their highest value) and regenerating nature through our zero waste goal including circular economy principles.

4. Advocate for community driven environmental care

This will be achieved through:

  • supporting the community in delivering environmental care initiatives
  • informing and building environmental and cultural awareness within the region
  • being aware and inclusive of community expectations for environmental care
  • creating positive change in environmental care within our sphere of influence.

This policy was updated 20 June 2023