Green pitches promised through Corio water works

SPORT fields at Corio’s Stead Park are set to stay green year-round after being hooked up to a recycled water supply.

A partnership between Barwon Water, the City of Greater Geelong and Viva Energy’s Geelong Refinery has connected the park’s irrigation system to the Northern Water Plant (NWP).

The processing facility will supply 25 megalitres of Class A recycled water for the fields, saving the amount of potable water used.

A $200,000 grant form the state government’s Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action enabled an upgraded water system that includes a new tank and pump set.

The new infrastructure will water 5.6 hectares worth of playing fields for a host of sports that use the regionally significant facility.

The NWP takes sewage from Geelong’s northern suburbs and Viva’s Geelong Refinery and treats it to produce up to 2,000ML of high-quality recycled water each year.

Barwon Water interim managing director Shaun Cumming thanked partners for helping deliver the project.

“Thanks to $200,000 funding from the Victorian Government, a sharing of an unused recycled water allocation by Viva Energy and foresight and initiative by the City of Greater Geelong and Barwon Water staff, more of the recycled water at the Northern Water Plant can be put to productive reuse.”

Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan also welcomed the initiative.

“The state funding has paved the way for upgraded pipework, supply tanks and connection to existing systems, while also allowing for future expansion.”

Viva executive general manager of refining Dale Cooper said the water program was part of a suite of initiatives to improve the company’s environmental performance.

“One of those is the highly successful water management and recycling program at the Geelong Refinery, which is saving the local community over a billion litres of water each year.

“We are very happy to see more of these water savings having a direct local impact with the use of the recycled water to irrigate Stead Park’s sports fields.”