Your Say Barwon Water
Barwon Water is planning to upgrade sections of the Colac water pipeline to ensure we can continue to provide high quality, secure and affordable services for our customers.
The Colac pipeline (approximately 26 kilometres) provides water supply to Colac from reservoirs in the Otways (West Gellibrand and Olangolah Reservoirs).
The sections are planned to be upgraded and replaced in two parts:
See the below for a summary of the two parts, and the map of the location of works.
Where:
Length of pipeline:
Estimated construction timing:
Where:
Length of pipeline:
Estimated construction timing:
Timing will be confirmed following the planning approvals process. We anticipate to commence construction in 2024 and be completed in 2025.
We will continue to keep this page updated as the planning approvals process progresses.
As part of our planning and design, we conducted a number of site investigations, including cultural heritage assessments, flora and fauna assessments, service proving, geotechnical and land surveys to protect cultural heritage, as well as avoid and minimise impacts to native vegetation and fauna, as much as possible.
The design process has been completed and Barwon Water is currently undergoing robust environmental assessment processes and required approvals before construction commences.
Environmental assessment processes are set by both the Victorian and Commonwealth Government, to review the potential environmental impacts of this project. We will obtain necessary approvals by the Victorian and the Commonwealth Governments and fully comply with their conditions before construction commences.
The Colac Water Pipeline Upgrade project needs to comply with legislations including:
The EPBC Act is the Australian Government's legal framework to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places. We are required to seek approval under the EPBC Act which helps us ensure mitigation of any potential risks to endangered flora and fauna species.
The proposed action of replacing sections of the pipeline was determined to be a controlled action under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) with assessment by Preliminary Documentation. The controlling provision is ‘Listed threatened species and ecological communities’ (sections 18 & 18A) (EPBC 2022/09343).
Learn more via the EPBC Act FAQs web page.
Protecting native flora and fauna is a key priority for us. We’ve conducted detailed ecological assessments to:
We have also conducted targeted surveys for endangered species, including the Gang-gang Cockatoo, Yellow-bellied Glider and Long-nosed Potoroo, which were identified on site due to the habitat available in the Great Otway National Park.
Barwon Water is securing environmental offsets for flora and fauna that are likely to be impacted during construction.
Barwon Water will implement measures during construction to further minimise the impact on fauna species and their habitats as much as possible.
(source: Australian Government: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment)
(source: Australian Government: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment)
(source: Australian Government: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment)
Barwon Water is committed to applying a caring for Country approach to our land and waterways in partnership with Traditional Owners, other agencies and community members.
Barwon Water is currently conducting the necessary assessments and investigations for the design and approvals process.
Have questions or want to learn more about a project, contact us below:
| Phone | 1300 656 007 |
|---|---|
| info@barwonwater.vic.gov.au | |
| Website | www.barwonwater.vic.gov.au |
| In writing | PO Box 659 |
