Greenhouse- A Changing Climate

Western Waters' Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy

The Water Industry has been identified as a sector highly vulnerable to climate change. Reduced security of water supply and increased population growth will make meeting the needs of future generations extremely challenging.

A key consumer of electricity in Victoria, water businesses are counted among the top 20 electricity-consuming businesses.

We have successfully reduced greenhouse gas emmissions by 22% across Western Water since 2004/05. Our aspirational target is to become carbon neutral, having net zero greenhouse gas emmissions, by 2017. 

Latest Greenhouse Update

Producing high quality recycled water consumes electricity. Western Water has set a target to become net carbon neutral by 2017. In line with this target, our new Class A recycled water plant is set to be net carbon neutral by 2011. All emissions will be off-set by 200kW biogas co-generation facility at the recycled water plant. This facility will satisfy the power requirements of the recycled water, resulting in net carbon neutral recycled water. The savings will be equivalent to taking 1,740 average passenger cars off the road or enough power to meet residential electricity needs of 850 people.

                                                    Key Initiatives

The successful reduction of greenhouse emmissions has been due to many achievements across Western Water. Some key initiatives include: 

• The installation and trial of a SolarBee aeration system at the Lancefield Clear Water Basin. The SolarBee is a solar powered aerator that could provide significant greenhouse gas savings if the trial is successful and all our aerators are replaced with a solar alternative.
• Western Water's Sunbury office has converted to 100% Green Power, immediately becoming carbon neutral. 66 of our lowest energy consuming pump stations have also been converted to green power.
• After the completion of a successful biodiesel trial, our Gisborne and Melton Depots now utilise biodiesel as an alternative fuel for fleet vehicles, trucks, pumps and other equipment.
• All of Western Water's design and tendering documents have been adapted to include carbon emmission reduction as a key consideration in the selection process.
• Investigations have been initiated into the capture of biogas at the Melton Recycled Water Plant to convert the waste heat into energy for power cogeneration. Preliminary investigations indicate that the power generated could allow our new Class A Recycled Water Plant at Melton to be carbon neutral.

         

The installation of the SolarBee solar aerator at the Lancefield Clear Water Basin.

These initiatives have been an outcome of Western Waters' Greenhouse Reduction Strategy which was developed by employees as a result of Greenhouse Workshops. The strategy is in alignment with theVicWater Greenhouse Emissions Reduction Framework  and our partnership with Greenhouse Challenge Plus. 

We recently held our second Greenhouse Reduction Workshop, this has produced ideas for new initiatives that can further reduce emmissions across Western Water.  

Employees were recognised for their contribution to key initiatives that are helping Western Water reduce carbon emissions as we head towards our aspirational target of carbon neutrality.