Construction begins at Portarlington water recycling plant begins

CONSTRUCTION on the new Portarlington Water Reclamation Plant has begun.

The project will involve the installation of ultra-filtration and reverse osmosis infrastructure, with the aim of lowering the salinity and enhancing the quality of the recycled water produced.

Once complete, the reclamation plant will help supply 450 million litres of fit-for-purpose recycled water to agricultural and horticultural businesses in the Bellarine, helping to almost double the amount of recycled water in use across the region.

This will support local business, including wineries and cellar doors, to reduce their use of drinking water to irrigate crops, while helping to boost their production, create jobs and unlock new economic opportunities.

Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said construction on the facility was a win for the environment and a win for communities on the Bellarine Peninsula. “Water is one of our most precious and limited resources.

“The more we can recycle and reuse our water, the better for our environment, for industry and local communities.”

Corangamite federal MP Libby Coker congratulated Barwon Water, who will deliver the $25 million project.

“This organisation is one of the most innovative, forward-thinking and hard-working across the region, and I’m proud to support them as part of this project,” she said.

Barwon Water will contribute $17.5 million to the project, with the federal government providing $5.5 million through its National Water Grid Fund and the Victorian government providing $2 million.

“At the heart of this project is a real commitment to think outside the box so that we can deliver sustainable water supplies to farmers, cellar doors and the wider Bellarine community, whilst reducing our overall water consumption,” Ms Coker said.

Barwon Water managing director Shaun Cumming said the visionary project was in line with the organisation’s aim to turn the region’s wastewater into a valuable resource that brings with it a range of economic, social and environmental benefits.

“Maximising the use of recycled water will support agricultural production, tourism-led ventures and regional prosperity for the Bellarine Peninsula,” he said.

“It will help facilitate an increase in visitation, generate additional revenue and create local jobs.

“Optimising value from this available resource will ensure we can deliver high quality, affordable and secure services and save precious drinking water.”

The increase of recycled water production, to be delivered through this project, aligns with the state government’s sustainable water strategy, which has identified that a greater reliance on manufactured water is needed to meet demand over the next 50 years.

The project will also advance Barwon Water’s goal of achieving zero waste by 2030, which includes recycling 100 per cent of the wastewater treated at its water reclamation plants.