Portland
Find out how the project will be delivered in Portland.
The issue
Why are we improving the water quality?
Although the tap water is safe to drink, many people in towns where there is a groundwater supply, such as Portland, Heywood and Port Fairy, find the taste less palatable because of the naturally occurring mineral salts.
This leads to reduced consumption, which has ongoing health implications. Households face increased costs through the purchase of bottled water and higher maintenance requirements on their home appliances.
There are environmental impacts due to the disposal of plastic water bottles and economic impacts for businesses and industry.
Understandably, customers who are paying an equivalent price for water services compared to other towns across our region want equitable water quality and taste. That’s why we’re really excited about the jointly funded Quality Water for Wannon Program.
The program is funded through the Australian Government’s National Water Grid Fund and Wannon Water, who will deliver the project on behalf of our customers and the Victorian Government.
As part of the federal funding agreement, water quality improvements in all three towns need to be completed by 2029.
The solution
How are we going to improve the water quality?
We’ll be installing reverse osmosis (RO) technology into the water treatment plants in each town.
This process uses enormous amounts of pressure to force groundwater through a membrane (a filter with tiny holes).
The salt molecules from groundwater are generally too big to squeeze through the holes, but the water molecules are small enough to pass through.
This leaves most of the salt and minerals on one side of the membrane and fresh water on the other side. Reducing the total dissolved solids (TDS) levels below the taste threshold for most people (less than 300 milligram per litre (mg/L) will improve the taste of the water and lessen the impact on household appliances.
While the upgrades are being designed and constructed, we’ll also be working to educate and encourage our communities to choose the improved tasting tap water. This will ensure the positive health and economic benefits for them are robust and sustainable.
What are the project benefits?
Project delivery
How will the project be delivered in your town?
Find out information on the planning process, approvals and project design for the project in your area.
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Heywood
Find out how the project will be delivered in Heywood.
Port Fairy
Find out how the project will be delivered in Port Fairy
Frequently asked questions
You can find answers to the most commonly asked questions below. Can't find the answer you're looking for? Then email one of the team at info@wannonwater.com.au or call us on 1300 926 666.
Water for Portland, Port Fairy and Heywood is sourced from the Dilwyn Aquifer. This is a deep underground geological formation that stretches across South West Victoria and into South Australia.
When groundwater from the Dilwyn Aquifer is extracted, it can range from 37 to 60 degrees Celsius in temperature as it’s extracted from bores that are between 450 and 1,250 metres deep.
We treat the water to help remove small amounts of minerals, such as iron and manganese. It’s then aerated, which helps to remove some organic odour compounds, and cooled to lower the temperature to between 23 and 26 degrees Celsius.
The water is disinfected using chlorine or sodium hypochlorite to maintain safe drinking standards while it’s stored in tanks or basins ready for distribution to customers.
The Dilwyn Aquifer comprises strongly confined quartz sand that is up to 1.5 kilometres deep in places. The water in the aquifer is very old, having fallen as rainfall between 900 and 30,000 years ago.
Because the water comes from deep underground, it has naturally occurring mineral salts which can impact the taste. All the drinking water we supply is safe and monitored to ensure the quality meets the health standards as specified by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
The Reverse Osmosis facilities we plan to build will be “blended” RO systems. This means a percentage of the naturally occurring water will not be sent through the system once cooled and filtered, but will be added back to the RO treated water towards the end of the process. This allows for some naturally occurring minerals to remain in the water that is delivered to customers and helps match the water quality to other areas.
Local treatment using reverse osmosis was the only option for both Heywood and Portland.
We explored the option of local treatment and a the construction of a pipeline for Port Fairy. Each option had its strengths, however adding filtration to the local supply is the recommended approach based on all the assessment criteria.
You can find out more about the Port Fairy options here.
There will be no additional cost to customers. The Federal Government announced $26.1 million in its 2023 budget to support us to improve the water quality in Heywood, Port Fairy and Portland. The funding, from the National Water Grid Fund, follows years of planning and extensive community, stakeholder and government engagement. We’ll be borrowing money to match the funding allocation.
Community Engagement
How are we engaging?
A number of communication and engagement activities were delivered in the Glenelg and Moyne Shire areas as part of phase one of our engagement. This confirmed community support for the program, helped to shape the business case, and guide how we deliver the project.
What's next?
We are now entering phase two of engagement with our community. We aim to provide the community with comprehensive information and enhance their understanding of the project.
Timeline
Got a minute?
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Come to an information session
Drop in to an information session in your area to hear more, ask a question and stay updated.
