Annual Report 2009-2010 Barwon Water Annual Report 2009-2010
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Building for the future BARWON WATER ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 BARWON WATER ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 Barwon Water’s youth and environment ambassador, Kelly Cartwright, at the 2010 Sustainable Home and Garden Expo. PAGE | 2 PAGE | 3 BARWON WATER ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 BARWON WATER ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 CONTENTs About this report 4 Part 1 – About us 5 Part 2 – The year in review 11 Part 3 – Corporate Governance 17 Part 4 – Our performance 29 Financial performance 29 What we do – Operations 35 What we do – Systems and Infrastructure 40 What we do – Environment 46 What we say – Customers and the Community 65 How we behave – Our People 75 Appendix One: Disclosure index 82 2009–2010 Performance Report 83 Annual Financial Statements 89 Appendix Two: Whistleblower Procedures 131 PAGE | 2 PAGE | 3 BARWON WATER ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 BARWON WATER ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 ABOUT THIs REPORT This annual report is a summary of programs Our sustainability reporting is combined within the annual report to reflect the ongoing integration of sustainability and initiatives designed to meet key actions, into our everyday business activities and environmental key result areas and performance indicators leadership. set out in our Strategic Intent 2009-2014. Barwon Water is committed to reporting against the Triple Bottom Line, which forms the social, economic Our Corporate Plan also informs our and environmental dimensions of our activities, products and services. operational direction, and is submitted annually to the Minister for Water and the Additional copies Treasurer of Victoria. This annual report is available for viewing or download from our website www.barwonwater.vic.gov.au As part of Barwon Water’s goal to continually improve our environmental performance, we only print limited numbers of the annual report. We encourage those with internet access to view the report online. If you require any additional printed copies, please contact Barwon Water using one of the below methods. Your feedback Barwon Water welcomes your feedback on our performance and the content of this report. Email: [email protected] Telephone: 1300 656 007 Calling from overseas: +61 3 5226 2500 In writing: PO Box 659, Geelong, Victoria 3220 In person: 61-67 Ryrie Street, Geelong, Victoria ISSN 1838-2916 (Print) ISSN 1838-2924 (Online) © Barwon Region Water Corporation 2010. This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. PAGE | 4 PAGE | 5 BARWON WATER ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 BARWON WATER ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 PART 1 ABOUT Us Barwon Water (Barwon Region Water Our region Corporation) is Victoria’s largest regional Our region of responsibility stretches from Little River and the Bellarine Peninsula in the east to Colac in the west, urban water corporation. Our history dates and from Meredith and Cressy in the north to Apollo Bay back to the establishment of the Geelong on Victoria’s south-west coast. Municipal Waterworks Trust in 1908. Our service area encompasses the following municipalities: The City of Greater Geelong, Borough of Queenscliffe, Barwon Water was constituted in February Surf Coast and Colac Otway shires and part of Golden Plains Shire. A map of our service region is on page 143. 1994. For the 2009-2010 reporting period, Barwon Water operated as a statutory Assets corporation under the Water Act 1989. We manage an asset base of $1.21 billion, including: 10 major reservoirs Barwon Water provides high quality water 11 water treatment plants and sewerage to more than 280,000 nine water reclamation plants permanent residents over 8100 square kilometres. Over the holiday period, two groundwater fields our serviced population can reach 213 pumping stations (52 water; 161 sewerage) 510,000 people. 39 local water storages more than 5700 kilometres of pipes. As a major employer in the region, Barwon Water has more than 400 operational, engineering, strategic planning, financial and administrative employees. PAGE | 4 PAGE | 5 BARWON WATER ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 BARWON WATER ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 ABOUT Us Water sources Recycled water Our water is sourced mainly from catchments on the upper All water reclamation plants produce water suitable for Barwon and Moorabool rivers, and from underground recycling. In 2009-2010 the volume of recycled water used aquifers deep below the Otway foothills. was 3017 megalitres, which was 16.0 per cent of the total recycled water produced by Barwon Water. Our target is The Barwon River system, from its Otway Ranges to beneficially reuse 25 per cent of recycled water by 2015. catchment, typically supplies 70 per cent of the water for Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and Surf Coast via the Wurdee Boluc Reservoir and water treatment plant. Biosolids The balance is supplied from catchments on the Moorabool Barwon Water reuses 100 per cent of the biosolids River system, which provide water to the Moorabool water produced by our water reclamation plants. treatment plant at She Oaks, north of Lethbridge. In 2009-2010, more than 3000 tonnes of dried biosolids The Moorabool system also provides water to Anakie, were used in accordance with EPA Guidelines to help Staughton Vale, Bannockburn, Gheringhap, Teesdale, produce crops of barley, wheat, and canola, returning Shelford and Inverleigh. valuable nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorous, back In 2009-2010, the Barwon Downs borefield is an integral to the soil. See page 37 for more information on biosolids. part of Geelong’s supply, providing around 48.3 per cent of Geelong’s 2009-2010 demand. Future growth The Anglesea borefield helped boost our supplies, Over the coming years we will continue an unprecedented pumping water to Geelong’s Wurdee Boluc Reservoir in program of capital works focusing on water, sewerage and November 2009 and supplied around 6.0 per cent of recycling infrastructure to ensure customers have safe, 2009-2010 usage. reliable and sustainable water to meet future population growth and development. Supplies in the Colac and Otway regions are drawn from five separate sources, all located in the forested catchments of the Otway Ranges. The Colac system provides water to Corporate governance urban and rural districts extending as far north as Cressy. Barwon Water is established under the Water Act 1989. Gellibrand, Aireys Inlet/Fairhaven, Apollo Bay/Skenes From 3 August 2007, the Hon. Tim Holding MP, Minister Creek and Lorne have their own supply systems. for Water, was the responsible Minister. Since 28 July 2004, Barwon Water has operated under Water customers a Statement of Obligations issued by the Minister for Residential customers comprise around 91.7 per cent of Water under section 41 of the Water Industry Act 1994. the customer base, with the industrial and commercial The statement imposes obligations on Barwon Water sectors accounting for the remaining 8.3 per cent. regarding the performance of its functions and exercise Around 34 per cent of metered consumption is attributed of powers. to non-residential customers. Barwon Water is required to monitor compliance with Water reclamation plants the obligations set out in the statement, report on non-compliance, and take remedial action in relation Barwon Water has nine water reclamation plants, which to non-compliance. are all governed by a single EPA Corporate Licence. Black Rock, Anglesea, Apollo Bay and Lorne plants release water On 1 January 2004, the Essential Services Commission through ocean outfalls. Plants at Aireys Inlet, Bannockburn, became the economic regulator of the Victorian water Portarlington and Winchelsea are land-based systems. sector. The Commission’s role encompasses regulation Water from the Colac facility is released into Lake Colac. of prices, service standards and market conduct. See page 17 for information on our corporate governance. PAGE | 6 PAGE | 7 BARWON WATER ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 BARWON WATER ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 OUR sTRATEGIC INTENT BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE In 2008, Barwon Water developed the Strategic Intent, our blueprint for the future. It is a rolling five-year plan which encompasses our promise to stakeholders, strategic directions and objectives for our business, and actions for our staff. The Strategic Intent forms a framework for Barwon Water Our promise to become a high-performance organisation. It outlines our intention to build on our partnerships with the ‘We promise to provide sustainable community and our plans to provide environmental water and sewerage management leadership to ensure a sustainable future for our region. to our community through innovation, A summary version of our Strategic Intent is available for downloading on our website www.barwonwater.vic.gov.au leadership, real community relationships or by phoning 1300 656 007. and a high-performance workforce.’ This annual report is structured around the key actions, key result areas and performance indicators as set out in the Strategic Intent. The chapters are based around the seven strategic directions, or pillars, of this document. These pillars inform what we do, what we say, how we behave and how people experience and feel about us. What we do OUR values 1. Provide environmental leadership 2. Provide long-term water security and Respect reliable sewerage systems High performance 3. Provide high-quality and affordable water and sewerage services Innovation Relationships What we say Leadership 4. Communicate, listen, engage and educate our community and stakeholders How we behave 5. Build a high-performance organisation How people experience and feel about us 6. Achieve a reputation for excellent customer service and stakeholder relationships 7. Build trust through performance, education, consultation and engagement PAGE | 6 PAGE | 7 BARWON WATER ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 BARWON WATER ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 OUR PLAN ON A page Our promise We promise to provide sustainable water and sewerage management to Our our community through innovation, leadership, real community Promise relationships and a high performance workforce.