Warrnambool leads the way on water harvesting

Wednesday, 08 June 2011

Warrnambool's water supplies will be augmented with rainfall harvested from the city's roofs as a result of a visionary new project opened today by Water Minister Peter Walsh.

The first stage of the $3.8 million Warrnambool Rainwater Roof Harvesting Demonstration project would save 37 megalitres of water that would otherwise have been wasted.  The pilot is the first stage of a bigger plan to harvest rainfall from the city's roofs to improve water security for Warrnambool's rapidly growing population.

Wannon Water is leading the way with this project which is believed to be the first of its kind in Australia.

As part of the pilot, rainwater will be captured from 254 homes through a 4.4km network of pipes in the Russell Creek and Marrakai estates.

Water is then transferred to the Brierly Basin Storage and mixed with water already in the basin before being treated at the Warrnambool water treatment plant and supplied to the city's reticulation system.

Wannon Water plans to extend the project to another 3,000 homes in the growth corridor to harvest an estimated 450 megalitres annually.  In an average year the project is expected to meet 100 per cent of the additional annual demand generated by the properties within the estates.

The Victorian Government has contributed almost $1 million to the project and will be investing $50 million in seed funding across the next four years to get innovative ideas such as this one off the ground.

Wannon Water, Warrnambool City Council, the Commonwealth Government, Cove Land Developments Pty Ltd, Kriway Investments Pty Ltd and Mugavin Homes also contributed funding to the project.