Grant helps save water at GeelongPort

GEELONG’S commercial port has tightened up its water usage and plugged many leaks through a project funded by Barwon Water.

GeelongPort applied for funding through the Barwon Water Business Water Savings Grants Program to install seven data loggers at their site.

The program provides up to 50 per cent of the direct costs of approved projects that deliver permanent reductions in drinking water consumption.

The loggers have been in use for about 12 months and have identified several leaks of various sizes and locations across the port precinct, leading to thousands of kilolitres of water being saved.

Barwon Water general manager of customers, community and strategy Laura Kendall said the project was a great example of what could be achieved when an environmentally minded business made use of a Business Water Saving Grant.

“The grants are designed to help high-water using businesses save our precious drinking water resources and save themselves money at the same time.

“Well done on GeelongPort for coming up with a great water saving project.”

GeelongPort environment specialist Nelson Taylor said the data loggers project had led to great results.

“The loggers, which are attached to a portal so staff have 24/7 access to usage data, recently alerted us to a leak of 1.85kl/min that occurred under one of the port’s berths.

“Without the logger, the water loss could have amounted to 18.6 ML if gone unnoticed for a week.”

Mr Taylor said GeelongPort checked the data regularly and investigated any extended periods of non-zero flows.

“This process has helped us locate and repair four large leaks over the past 12 months, some of which may have run unnoticed in underground pipes for extended periods of time had the data loggers not been installed.

“With the loggers providing real time data and alerts, unusual consumption is noticed immediately and investigated.

“The data from the loggers is also matched with ship and operational movements to understand how water is being used, resulting in efficiency improvements with our general water consumption.”

GeelongPort also uses the regular data to report on their efficiency of environmental KPIs and goals.

For more information on the grants program, head to barwonwater.vic.gov.au/water-and-waste/saving-water/business-water-grants