Forrest wastewater investigation

Barwon Water has engaged Marsden Jacob Associates (MJA) to undertake a cost-benefit analysis for the preferred Forrest wastewater solution, which was identified with the community.

The preferred solution involves upgrading onsite systems (where necessary) to contain wastewater on individual properties, with an additional, centralised system to handle excess treated wastewater.

The aim of MJA’s work is to collect the data required to understand the costs and benefits of the system holistically. This will help us plan any next steps.

Have your say

There are two streams of engagement in this phase.

The first stream involves targeted interviews with local businesses, tourism and regulatory stakeholders, commencing in February.

The second part is the survey for residents, open until Wednesday 25 March 2020 at 5 pm.

Your input will help inform the cost-benefit analysis for the Forrest wastewater solution.

Online survey for residents

Please complete the short, five-minute online survey.

Hard copy survey for residents

If you need a hard copy survey, please contact Kate Manning on kate.manning@barwonwater.vic.gov.au or 5226 2580.

Business engagement

If you own or manage a business in Forrest and would like to participate in an interview with the consultants, please email or call us:

• Kate Manning – kate.manning@barwonwater.vic.gov.au / 5226 2580
• Rhys Bennett – rhys.bennett@barwonwater.vic.gov.au / 5226 2328

Come and say hi

Barwon Water staff are hosting listening posts outside the Forrest General Store, if you would like to speak to us in person. Surveys will be available on the day in hard copy and online via iPads.

• Tuesday 17 March 2020, 11 am to 1 pm – outside the Forrest General Store
• Friday 20 March 2020, 1 pm to 3 pm – outside the Forrest General Store

Barwon Water has engaged Marsden Jacob Associates to undertake a detailed economic assessment and cost benefit analysis, in consultation with key agencies, local businesses and community members. This project will run until approximately April 2020.

Barwon Water is committed to an ongoing partnership with the Forrest community as we investigate opportunities for wastewater improvements in Forrest.

Whilst we are dedicated to working towards a solution together, we are realistic about the timeframes involved in the investigation and funding of a proposed wastewater scheme. This process may take many years.

We ask for the community to continue to work together with us and Colac Otway Shire on this project in a co-ordinated approach.

Barwon Water and Colac Otway Shire will continue to keep the local community of Forrest and key stakeholders informed about this project.

Barwon Water and Colac Otway Shire hosted a wastewater solutions assessment session in early October 2018, followed by a paper based survey inviting community members to nominate their preferred wastewater solution.

Since this time, our technical consultants have been using this feedback to assess all four solution packages against the community’s agreed wastewater vision and associated success measures.

While there was a range of views, Solution 3 received the highest level of support from the community and was therefore nominated as the preferred solution. This solution involves upgrading onsite systems (where necessary) to contain wastewater on individual properties, with an additional, centralised system to handle excess. This solution was also supported by technical experts.

Both the Barwon Water Board and Colac Otway Shire Council have agreed to move the project to the business case phase, which will further investigate the preferred solution, identifying project benefits, governance and funding opportunities to facilitate the potential delivery of the solution that is affordable to residents.

A steering group made up of Barwon Water, Colac Otway Shire, the Environment Protection Authority, Regional Development Victoria and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, with support from technical experts, has been established and will be involved in the business case development.

Barwon Water and Colac Otway Shire expect the business case will be shared with the local community in the first half of 2019 and will continue to keep the local community of Forrest and key stakeholders informed as the project progresses.

On Sunday, October 7, Barwon Water and Colac Otway Shire recently hosted the wastewater solutions assessment session.

This session was an opportunity for the community to help assess the wastewater solutions being considered for Forrest.

The session was a great success, with 23 people attending and sharing valuable insight into community views and opinions on the solutions.

If you were not able to attend, and you would like to provide some feedback, please review the information on the solutions and then nominate your preferred solution.

The survey will be open until October 25.

The results of the session and survey, will be provided to our wastewater consultant. The consultant will use this feedback to further refine the wastewater solutions for Forrest.

At the end of the year, Barwon Water and Colac Otway Shire will be in contact to confirm the preferred solution and next steps of the project.

Barwon Water and Colac Otway Shire Council will host a community information session to help assess the wastewater solutions being considered for Forrest.

The session will provide an outline of the wastewater solutions being considered and how these solutions align to the agreed community vision and associated criteria.

Forrest residents and businesses are invited to come along and share your thoughts and preferences on the solutions.

The details of the session are:

When: Sunday, October 7, 2018

Time: Drop in any time between 10am and 4pm

Where: Forrest Public Hall, 14 Grant Street, Forrest

On Sunday, July 8, Barwon Water and the Colac Otway Shire Council hosted a community information session to provide an update on the progress of the wastewater solutions being considered for Forrest.

Building on the previous community session (held in late April) and subsequent survey, the July session focused on presenting four wastewater solutions packages designed for Forrest.

Barwon Water Strategy and Partnerships General Manager Kate Sullivan said the four solutions incorporated community feedback and included innovative stormwater and greywater treatment, partial onsite containment, offsite treatment and pressure sewer systems.

20 people attended the session and they were able to talk with the project team, review the possible solutions and provide feedback.

Some of the feedback included making sure potential solutions were designed for the long-term, cost effective and affordable, supported the town during peak tourism periods and incorporated innovative elements such as the use of recycled water in the township.

The project will now move into the solutions assessment stage, where another community session will be hosted in early September, 2018.

“At this session, the community will be able to have their say and assess each solution against the community vision and associated criteria with the view to making a community recommendation on a wastewater solution for Forrest,” said Sullivan.

In addition to this, the Colac Otway Shire Council will be conducting follow-up wastewater audits on properties in Forrest that could not access previously and liaising property owners previously audited in late 2017.

Colac Otway Shire Council Development and Community Services General Manager Gareth Smith said Council will work with property owners to determine what might be needed to ensure their system is functioning properly.

The wastewater investigation is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Barwon Water and Colac Otway Shire Council will continue to keep the community informed as the project progresses.

Barwon Water and Colac Otway Shire Council would like to invite the community to attend a community information session to get an update on the wastewater solutions being considered for Forrest.

The session will provide additional information on a range of possible wastewater solutions being considered and will include indicative layouts, innovative elements, potential reuse sites and high level costs. The community is invited to come along and share any further insights they wish to be considered.

The details of the session are:

• When: Sunday, July 8, 2018
• Time: Drop in any time between 10am and 4pm
• Where: Forrest Public Hall, 14 Grant Street, Forrest

Following this update session, a wastewater solutions assessment session will be hosted in late August / early September, 2018. At this session, the you will be able to have your say and assess each solution against the community vision and associated criteria with the view to make a community recommendation on the preferred wastewater solution for Forrest.

Barwon Water and Colac Otway Shire Council recently hosted the wastewater options development session.

This session was an opportunity for the community to provide input and feedback about the options for addressing wastewater issues in Forrest.

The session was a great success, with about 50 people attending and sharing valuable insight into community views and opinions for potential future sewerage options.

If you were not able to attend, and you would like to provide some feedback, please review the information on the options and community feedback captured on the day and then complete the survey

The survey will be open until May 21.

Barwon Water will also host a listening post, if you would like to speak to us in person. The details are:

Date: Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Time: 3.00pm – 5.00 pm

Place: Outside the Forrest General Store

The results of the session, survey and listening post will be provided to our wastewater consultant. The consultant will use this feedback to develop a series of wastewater solutions for Forrest.

These solutions will be presented back to the community for their consideration and feedback. We anticipate this to occur in June, 2018.

Barwon Water will continue to keep the community informed as the project progresses.

Barwon Water and Colac Otway Shire Council would like to invite you to attend the rescheduled community information session to help generate wastewater options for the community to consider.

Due to poor weather conditions, high winds and a number of nearby fires on March 18, the event was postponed.

As previously promoted, the options development session will invite the community to come and learn about various wastewater options that currently are available, as well as put forward any solutions they wish to be considered.

The details of the session are:

We are also in the process of finalising the community’s wastewater vision. If you haven’t already done so, please complete the survey.

We will be sharing the results of this survey on April 29, so please return your survey to us no later than April 23. The vision will be used to assess and prioritise options against.

Should you have any questions or require further information, please telephone our Community Engagement Co-ordinator Kate Vallence on 03 5226 2518 or 0428 407 961 or email kate.vallence@barwonwater.vic.gov.au