Barwon Water wraps up info sessions about borefields

BARWON Water wrapped up its series of community information sessions about the Barwon Downs borefields last week.

The three community information sessions were hosted to provide an update on the Barwon Downs borefield licence application withdrawal (which the water authority did last month) and the Boundary Creek and Big Swamp remediation project.

Sessions were hosted in Winchelsea, Birregurra and Colac and were attended by more than 40 people, including representatives from local landcare groups, local land owners, environmental groups and local newspapers.

Barwon Water general manager of strategy, systems and environment Kate Sullivan said the response to the community information sessions showed the community’s passion and dedication for the local environment.

“One of the key themes discussed at information sessions, was the process for developing the remediation plan, which includes prioritising remediation for Boundary Creek and Big Swamp where we know we have had an impact as well
as investigating whether there have been impacts in other areas.

“In addition, attendees were very interested in Barwon Water’s plans to secure future water supplies.

“Overall the community were positive that Barwon Water were out and about in the community talking about the remediation project.”

She said the present phase of the remediation project was Barwon Water’s environmental assessment field program, which was scheduled to start this week, subject to approvals and weather.

“We will provide monthly updates to the remediation working group and meet with the group again in the coming months to provide an update on the field program and what the preliminary results are telling us.”

In the latter part of 2019, Barwon Water will continue to work with the remediation working group and their nominated experts to develop a remediation plan, which will be submitted to Southern Rural Water and its independent technical review panel for approval.

The remediation working group comprises community members and representatives from local agencies and environmental groups, including Traditional Owners, Boundary Creek landowners, LAWROC (Land and Water Resources Otway Catchment), PALM (People for a Living Moorabool), the Upper Barwon Landcare Network, Colac Otway Shire Council and the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority.