22 Apr 2024

Barwon Water recently hosted a family day to celebrate the achievements of the Birregurra Sustainable Communities Program.

Families came together to enjoy free entertainment, morning tea and activities at the Birregurra Mechanics Hall.

The community event highlighted the success of the water-saving program, which has saved 38 million litres of water and reduced customer bills by $81,000, since it was established in 2020.

General Manager Customers, Community and Strategy, Laura Kendall said it was a fun and interactive session focusing on the value of water.

“Educating and engaging children in sustainable water practices sets the groundwork for future generations to be more water-wise.”

There was crafting of take-home water cycles, and painting pots for water efficient plants, supplied by genU. There was also the opportunity for selfies with Barwon Water’s ‘Drop’ mascot and story time, provided by Geelong Regional Libraries Corporation’s mobile library.

“Children are quick to learn about where water comes from and why saving water matters. We know that they will share their water literacy knowledge with family members and help to grow understanding of water challenges and solutions.

“Our customers and community across the wider region have told us that they want a secure water future where our rivers flow, our foods grow, and our impact is low. To help create that future, we’re having conversations with people of all ages about the value of water.”

Laura Kendall said that the Sustainable Communities program will remain a priority for Barwon Water with greater focus on community engagement.

“Not only was it fun for the kids, but the event was also a great opportunity to hear from parents and guardians about what they would like to see happening with sustainability and water efficiency in the Birregurra area.

“In 2020, as part of the Sustainable Communities program, around 400 digital meters were installed in Birregurra. Since then, Barwon Water has collaborated with the local community, providing real-time consumption data to customers, identifying and repairing over 90 leaks, and launching a Living Laboratory to test water-efficient showerheads and a sustainable garden program.”

A community working group has championed the Sustainable Communities program since its inception in 2020.

“We’re now putting out a call for new members of the community working group to join and help shape future local initiatives and projects.”

The community working group provided feedback that they wanted more engagement with young people.

“This family day was the first of a series of planned activities to address the feedback we received,” Ms Kendall said.

As well as the Sustainable Communities program, Barwon Water is also upgrading Birregurra’s water supply via a new pipeline that will connect it to Colac’s water supply system.

L-R Darren Milverton, Lachlan Gordon, Jacinta Burke (Barwon Water), Cr Chris Potter (Colac Otway Shire), Sandra Brady (Barwon Water) pictured with Barwon Water’s mascot ‘Drop’