Expenditure Review - Melbourne Water 2021 Price Submission

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Expenditure Review - Melbourne Water 2021 Price Submission Expenditure review - Melbourne Water 2021 Price Submission Expenditure review - Melbourne Water 2021 Price Submission FINAL REPORT for the Essential Services Commission - Public 23 February 2021 1 Expenditure review - Melbourne Water 2021 Price Submission Commercial-in-confidence Contents Glossary ii Executive summary iii About this report iii Operating expenditure iii Capital expenditure v 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Scope of review 1 1.3 Approach to review 1 1.4 Structure of this report 2 2 Summary of forecast expenditure 3 2.1 Key expenditure drivers 3 2.2 Operating expenditure 9 2.3 Capital expenditure 12 3 Operating expenditure assessment 15 3.1 Overview of approach 15 3.2 Historical controllable expenditure (2019-20) 17 3.3 Baseline growth-efficiency improvement rate 23 3.4 Forecast variations to baseline expenditure 27 3.5 Individual controllable expenditure items 41 3.6 Recommendations 55 4 Capital expenditure assessment 56 4.1 Overview of approach 56 4.2 Historical capex 57 4.3 Overall assessment of capital planning and asset management 62 4.4 Overall assessment of capital delivery 62 4.5 Overview of major programs / allocations 63 4.6 Major water projects 66 4.7 Major sewerage projects and programs 77 4.8 Major waterways and drainage projects 90 4.9 Recommendations 102 Appendix A – Demand forecast review 106 Key findings of the demand review 106 Population forecast comparison 107 Waterways and drainage 120 Sewage demand 125 Water demand 136 Limitation of our work 143 General use restriction 143 i Expenditure review - Melbourne Water 2021 Price Submission Commercial-in-confidence Glossary Acronym Full name AAD Average Annual Damages AEP Annual Exceedance Probability BOD Biological oxygen demand BNI Business Needs Identifier CAGR Compound annual growth rate Capex Capital expenditure EPA Environmental Protection Authority ESC Essential Services Commission ETP Eastern Treatment Plant FBC Functional Business Case HBT Health-based target MW Melbourne Water Opex Operating expenditure PREMO Performance, Risk, Engagement, Management and Outcomes PS16 Pricing Submission 2016 PS21 Pricing Submission 2021 RP4 Regulatory Period 4 RP5 Regulatory Period 5 SDR Standardised Death Rate TKN Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) TSS Total suspended solids WDCC Waterways and Drainage Customer Council WHO World Health Organisation WIRO Water Industry Regulatory Order WSCC Water and Sewerage Customer Council WTP Western Treatment Plant ii Expenditure review - Melbourne Water 2021 Price Submission Commercial-in-confidence Executive summary About this report The Essential Services Commission (ESC) is currently reviewing Melbourne Water’s (MW) proposed services and prices for the regulatory period 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2026. This period is referred to in this document as ‘the next regulatory period’ or the ‘fifth regulatory period’ (RP5). The ESC has engaged Deloitte Access Economic and Arup to review MW’s operating and capex forecasts and to provide advice on whether it is consistent with the requirements of the regulatory framework. In undertaking this review, our key responsibilities are to: • assess the appropriateness of the expenditure forecasts in relation to the key objectives of the review • provide advice to the ESC regarding the appropriateness of the forecasts, and • where our advice indicates that proposed expenditure is not appropriate, propose a revised expenditure level. Deloitte Access Economics and Arup have been asked to review the three major service areas provided by MW – bulk water, bulk sewerage and waterways and drainage. As part of our review, the ESC also requested that Deloitte Access Economics undertake a detailed review of the assumptions and methodology applied by MW in developing its growth forecasts for the three areas, and comment on the implications of any findings for the proposed expenditure. This analysis is provided in Appendix A. Operating expenditure The key features of MW’s operating expenditure (opex) forecast ($2020-21m) include: • baseline controllable opex in 2019-20 of $389.2m1 (before adjustments), which is lower than that forecast in the 2016 price submission ($400.7m) and the 2016 price determination ($394.2m) • a net growth-cost efficiency improvement rate of 0.05% per annum • $230.1m of forecast additional expenditure in total over RP5 above the baseline, primarily reflecting energy costs (which MW removed from its baseline) and new waterways and drainage projects supported by customer willingness to pay studies2 • a total cumulative controllable opex of $1,956.9m over RP5. Figure i shows MW’s total controllable opex from 2013-14 to 2025-26, comparing actual and forecast expenditure to the PS16 proposal and final determination. 1 Total baseline controllable opex is $1.93m higher than the figures presented in MW’s original price submission, this is due to revisions provided during the review process to reflect the final statutory accounts for 2019-20. Revisions to base year expenditure were removed from the baseline forecast as adjustments, therefore there is no change in proposed forecast expenditure. 2 Total adjustments are higher than proposed in MW’s price submission due to revised energy forecast provided by MW during the review process. During the review process, MW revised their energy forecast by $7.54 million. The new value of the total controllable opex with revisions for energy is $154.8 million. iii Expenditure review - Melbourne Water 2021 Price Submission Commercial-in-confidence Figure i: Historical and forecast total controllable opex ($2020-21m) 440 Regulatory Period 4 Regulatory Period 5 420 400 380 360 340 320 300 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 Actual PS21 Forecast PS16 Proposed Forecast PS16 Determination Source: Actual and forecast is based on MW 2021 Price Review Model – ESC Reviewed (provided 24 December 2020), 2016 proposed forecast is based on MW Price Review Template and 2016 Determination is based on the ESC’s Final – 2016 MW Price Review Template (provided 17 November 2020). Notes: 1. Base year (2019-20) actual expenditure is slightly higher than the original price submission due to revisions provided by MW during the review process. 2. Includes revised energy forecast provided by MW during the review process. We have recommended adjustments to forecast expenditure where we consider that insufficient information had been provided to support the proposed expenditure or where the expenditure was imprudent or inefficient. In total, we have recommended a reduction of $41.8m to MW’s RP5 forecast controllable opex, representing 2.1% of proposed controllable expenditure. The reasons for these recommendations are outlined in Chapter 3. Table i: MW forecast controllable opex and recommended adjustments ($2020-21m) Actual Forecast RP5 Opex item Base year 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 Total 2019-20 Proposed 389.04 387.01 388.46 394.09 398.34 1956.95 controllable opex1 Recommended adjustments W&S base year -1.95 -1.95 -1.94 -1.94 -1.94 -1.94 -9.72 adjustment Waterways base year -0.48 -0.48 -0.48 -0.48 -0.48 -0.48 -2.39 adjustment Growth rate -0.52 -1.03 -1.54 -2.05 -2.56 -7.70 adjustment to baseline Waterways and drainage service -4.40 -4.40 -4.40 -4.40 -4.40 -22.00 increase Total recommended -2.43 -7.34 -7.85 -8.36 -8.87 -9.38 -41.81 adjustments Recommended 381.70 379.16 380.10 385.22 388.96 1915.14 controllable opex Source: Deloitte Access Economics Note: 1. Forecast proposed controllable opex includes a revised energy cost adjustment provided by MW during the review process. MW should clarify in its response to the ESC’s Draft Decision whether it intends to recover this higher amount. iv Expenditure review - Melbourne Water 2021 Price Submission Capital expenditure The key features of MW’s capital expenditure (capex) forecast include: • total capex forecast of $3,702.2m3 over RP5 • expenditure forecast to peak in 2022-23, particularly due to the proposed Western Treatment Plant (WTP) 55E ASP Upgrade and Hobsons Bay Main (HBM) Yarra Crossing Duplication projects which will reach peak construction in that year. • a 39% increase in capex compared to the previous regulatory period4 (2016-17 to 2021-22, ‘RP4’) capex (using actuals for 2015-16 to 2019-20 and forecasts for 2020-21). This is primarily driven by increases in: o ‘growth’ capex in response to strong population growth over the past five years o ‘renewals’ capex to keep current assets fit-for-purpose as they age and deal with the challenges presented by climate change. The key ‘renewals’ project is a large atypical sewer main renewal project (Hobsons Bay Main Yarra Crossing Duplication). o ‘improvement’ capex to deliver higher levels of service in response to customer willingness to pay analysis. • an additional desalination security payment capitalisation cost of $398.6m over RP5. Figure ii below presents forecast capex from 2021-22 to 2025-26, split by major drivers. Sewerage projects comprise the most significant proportion of spend for all years except 2025-26 in which Waterways and Drainage is the major capex driver. Figure ii: capex breakdown by major driver ($2020-21m) Source: Actual and forecast is based on MW 2021 Price Review Model – ESC Reviewed (provided 24 December 2020) *values for 2020-21 represent ‘pre- populated’ values using forecasts from the PS16 submission, MW forecast (at the time of the submission) capex of $663.0 (including desal security payment cost capitalisation) in 2020-21. The updated forecast (February 2021) for capex in 2020-21 is $670.2million (including desal security payment cost capitalisation). Overall, we recommend a 8% reduction ($296.8m) on total capex over RP5 compared to MW’s forecast. This reflects: • a $46.8 million reduction across the 15 major projects assessed in detail, which reflects a 4.4% reduction on MW’s 2021 price submission proposal for these projects • an overall reduction of an average $50m per annum across the broader capital program, resulting in a reduction of $250m over RP5.
Recommended publications
  • DUCK HUNTING in VICTORIA 2020 Background
    DUCK HUNTING IN VICTORIA 2020 Background The Wildlife (Game) Regulations 2012 provide for an annual duck season running from 3rd Saturday in March until the 2nd Monday in June in each year (80 days in 2020) and a 10 bird bag limit. Section 86 of the Wildlife Act 1975 enables the responsible Ministers to vary these arrangements. The Game Management Authority (GMA) is an independent statutory authority responsible for the regulation of game hunting in Victoria. Part of their statutory function is to make recommendations to the relevant Ministers (Agriculture and Environment) in relation to open and closed seasons, bag limits and declaring public and private land open or closed for hunting. A number of factors are reviewed each year to ensure duck hunting remains sustainable, including current and predicted environmental conditions such as habitat extent and duck population distribution, abundance and breeding. This review however, overlooks several reports and assessments which are intended for use in managing game and hunting which would offer a more complete picture of habitat, population, abundance and breeding, we will attempt to summarise some of these in this submission, these include: • 2019-20 Annual Waterfowl Quota Report to the Game Licensing Unit, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries • Assessment of Waterfowl Abundance and Wetland Condition in South- Eastern Australia, South Australian Department for Environment and Water • Victorian Summer waterbird Count, 2019, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research As a key stakeholder representing 17,8011 members, Field & Game Australia Inc. (FGA) has been invited by GMA to participate in the Stakeholder Meeting and provide information to assist GMA brief the relevant Ministers, FGA thanks GMA for this opportunity.
    [Show full text]
  • Western Treatment Plant Bird Watching Access Map N
    Map not to scale Western Treatment Plant Scale at A3 1:75,000 (approximately) Werribee, Victoria NEW FARM RD Gate open 6am to 9pm 0 1 2 3 7 days. N Werribee Western Treatment Plant Bird Watching Access Map Kilometres Operations & Maintenance and Discovery Centre. September 2010 Gate open 6am to 5:30pm Melbourne Monday to Friday. Permit Werribee inductions are held here. MALTBY BYPASS Road Closure GEELONG RD Access to bird watching areas is only via Point Wilson Road. RD ROWAN LANE You must lock all gates immediately after entry and exit. Restricted Bird Watching Permit does not permit any other Access FREEWAY OLD BOUNDARY RD Future Werribee River Regional activity or access to areas not managed by RD FARM Park. Pedestrian 40 SOUTH RD RD access only. Melbourne Water. RD 25 WEST RD RD Refer to permit conditions for more information. 80 SOUTH RD Little River Register your visit: 9235 2828 120 SOUTH Werribee South Emergency: 9742 9208 (or 000) LITTLE RIVER RD PRINCES RD Lara 160 SOUTH River More information: 131 722 or melbournewater.com.au 145 WEST RD METROPOLITAN 15 EAST 55 EAST 95 EAST River MURTCAIM RD RYANSRYANSRYANS RYANSRYANSRYANSRYANSRYANS SWAMSWAMSWAMPPP SWAMPSWAMPSWAMSWAMSWAMPPP Little Bird watching WALSH’S RD 55E LAGOON General access General access access via 115E LAGOON WALTER 25W LAGOON permit gate (1 to 7) permit route Pt Wilson Rd 95 E RD 65 W RD 15 EAST RD RD RD 8 145WA LAGOON PRINCES FREEWAYPARADISE 7 Special access Special access RD 6 WALSH LAGOON 145WB LAGOON permit gate (8) permit route 85WA LAGOON 85WB LAGOON JUBILEE
    [Show full text]
  • Inactivation of Cryptosporidium Across the Wastewater Treatment Train: Recycled Water Fit for Purpose (Phase II)
    Inactivation of Cryptosporidium across the wastewater treatment train: Recycled water fit for purpose (Phase II) Brendon King, Stella Fanok, Renae Phillips, Melody Lau, Ben van den Akker and Paul Monis Project 8OS – 8012 Final Report – March 2015 1 Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19 1.1 OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 1.2 CRYPTOSPORIDIUM AND CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS .................................................................................................................................... 20 1.3 CRYPTOSPORIDIUM SPECIES PRESENT IN THE AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY ..................................................................................... 21 1.4 CURRENT METHODS FOR ISOLATION AND DETECTION FOR CRYPTOSPORIDIUM .......................................................................... 22 1.5 ASSESSMENT OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM INFECTIVITY ............................................................................................................................ 23 1.5.1 In vitro assays for assessing viability of Cryptosporidium ........................................................................................... 23 1.5.2 Human infectivity assays ..........................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Melbourne Water Annual Report 2012–13 Contents
    Enhancing Life and Liveability Melbourne Water Annual Report 2012–13 Contents Overview Page 1 Chairman’s Report Page 2 Managing Director’s Report Page 3 Service delivery Page 4 Water Page 6 Alternative water sources and integrated water cycle management Page 14 Sewerage Page 22 Waterways Page 28 Corporate Page 36 Environmental stewardship Page 38 Relationships Page 46 Financial sustainability Page 52 Organisational capability Page 62 Financial Report Page 68 Performance reporting Page 127 Statutory information Page 140 Overview About us Melbourne Water is owned by the Victorian Government. We manage water supply catchments, treat and supply drinking and recycled water, remove and treat most of Melbourne’s sewage, and manage waterways and major drainage systems in the Port Phillip and Westernport region. In all our business decisions we consider social, environmental and financial effects, and short-term and long-term implications. Our customers include metropolitan water retailers, other water authorities, land developers and businesses that divert river water, and the 1.8 million households that receive waterways and drainage services in the greater Melbourne region. We deliver our services in partnership with others including government agencies, local councils, catchment authorities, contractors and suppliers. About this report Accessibility Melbourne Water’s Annual Report An accessible text format of this report 2012–13 describes our annual progress is available on our website at towards achieving our vision of Enhancing melbournewater.com.au Life and Liveability in the greater Melbourne If you want to obtain a copy of this report, region, and how we met our regulatory or sections of it, in a different accessible obligations from 1 July 2012 to 30 June format, please contact Melbourne Water 2013.
    [Show full text]
  • Environmental Improvement Plan for the Eastern and Western Treatment Plants November 2017
    Environmental Improvement Plan for the Eastern and Western Treatment Plants November 2017 Contents 1. Purpose 2 2. Scope 2 3. General Description 2 4. Legislative Requirements and Guidelines 4 5. Environmental Policy and Strategy 4 6. Environmental Management System 5 7. Contingency Planning 5 8. Operational Arrangements to Achieve Objectives 5 9. Environmental Improvement Plan Action Summary 6 10. Priority Improvement Areas 9 10.1. Water Plan 3 Achievements 9 10.2. Treated Effluent Discharge 9 10.3. Odour Emissions 10 10.4. Recycled Water 12 10.5. Biosolids 13 10.6. Energy and Greenhouse Gas 14 10.7. Waste Management 15 10.8. Biodiversity Improvement 16 10.9. Improving Liveability 17 10.10. Groundwater and Land management 18 10.11. 2016 Price Submission Priorities 18 11. Stakeholder, Customer and Community Engagement 19 12. Performance Monitoring and Reporting 20 13. Plan Auditing and Review 20 14. Glossary of Terms 21 15. Endorsement by Management 22 16. Appendix A: Eastern Treatment Plant Site Maps 24 17. Appendix B: Western Treatment Plant Site Map 26 18. Appendix C: Legislative Requirements and Guidelines 27 Environmental Improvement Plan for the Eastern and Western Treatment Plants | 1 1. Purpose 3. General Description This Environmental Improvement Plan describes how The Eastern Treatment Plant (ETP) and the Western Melbourne Water uses various processes to provide Treatment Plant (WTP) are owned and operated by continuous improvement in environmental management Melbourne Water and are located in the suburbs of at the Eastern Treatment Plant (ETP) located in Bangholme Bangholme and Werribee. The ETP and WTP are the two and the Western Treatment Plant (WTP) located in Werribee.
    [Show full text]
  • Victorian Water Accounts 2016–2017 a Statement of Victorian Water Resources
    Victorian Water Accounts 2016–2017 A statement of Victorian water resources Victorian Water Accounts 2016–17 1 Contents Foreword .................................................................................................................................. 3 Executive summary ................................................................................................................. 6 PART 1: OVERVIEW OF VICTORIAN WATER RESOURCES 2016–17 ............................. 9 1. Management of Victoria’s water resources ................................................................ 10 1.1 Types of water resources ...................................................................................................... 10 1.2 Water sector institutional arrangements ................................................................................ 13 1.3 Water entitlement and water resource planning frameworks ................................................. 16 1.4 Monitoring and reporting ........................................................................................................ 23 2. Water availability ........................................................................................................... 24 2.1 Rainfall................................................................................................................................... 24 2.2 Streamflow ............................................................................................................................. 27 2.3 Storages ...............................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Vision for Werribee Plains – the Next Step Action Plan2004
    Vision for Werribee Plains – the next step action plan2004 Vision for Werribee Plains – the next step action plan2004 Published by the Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment Melbourne, August 2004 Also published on www.dse.vic.gov.au This document was prepared in collaboration with Regional Development Victoria and the Werribee Plains Consultative Panel. Images have been provided from Melbourne Water, Wyndham City Council, Moorabool Shire Council, VicUrban, Parks Victoria and Sharron Dickman. © The State of Victoria Department of Sustainability and Environment 2004 This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. Authorised by the Victorian Government, 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne. Printed by Impact Digital, 32 Syme Street, Brunswick. Printed on recycled paper. ISBN 1 74106 919 X For more information contact the DSE Customer Service Centre 136 186 Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. www.dse.vic.gov.au contents Message from the Premier 3 Message from the Minister for Water 3 1. The Vision for Werribee Plains 4 2. Vision for Werribee Plains – the next step 5 3. Highlights and priorities of the Action Plan 2004 6 4. The story so far 8 5. The Werribee Plains region 10 6.
    [Show full text]
  • State Environment Protection Policy (Waters) and Is Referred to Below As “This Policy”
    State Environment Protection Policy (Waters) Version for DELWP Legal as at 16 January 2018 TABLE OF PROVISIONS Clause Page PART I – APPLICATION ................................................................................................................................... 3 1. Title ....................................................................................................................................... 3 2. Purpose ................................................................................................................................. 3 3. Commencement .................................................................................................................... 3 4. Revocation ............................................................................................................................ 3 5. Authorising provisions .......................................................................................................... 4 6. Definitions ............................................................................................................................ 4 7. Application ......................................................................................................................... 10 8. Policy area .......................................................................................................................... 10 9. Segments of the water environment .................................................................................... 10 10. Applied, adopted or incorporated
    [Show full text]
  • Water for Victoria Discussion Paper
    WATER FOR VICTORIA DISCUSSION PAPER Water for Victoria Managing water together Water is fundamental to our communities. We will manage water to support a healthy environment, a prosperous economy and thriving communities, now and into the future. 1 Aboriginal acknowledgement The Victorian Government proudly acknowledges Victoria’s Aboriginal community and their rich culture and pays respect to their Elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal people as Australia’s first peoples and as the Traditional Owners and custodians of the land and water on which we rely. We recognise and value the ongoing contribution of Aboriginal people and communities to Victorian life and how this enriches us. We embrace the spirit of reconciliation, working towards the equality of outcomes and ensuring an equal voice. 2 1 Throughout this document the term ‘Aboriginal’ is used to refer to both Aboriginal and Torres 4 Strait Islander people. Use of the term ‘Indigenous’ is retained in the name and reference to 3 programs, initiatives and publication titles, and unless noted otherwise, is inclusive of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 5 6 8 7 Previous pages images courtesy, 1 North East Catchment Management Authority; 9 2 and 3 Mallee Catchment Management Authority; 4 South East Water; 5 Museums Victoria; 6, 8 and 9 Melbourne Water; 7 Western Water The Premier of Victoria The Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Over the past twelve months, we have travelled across Victoria to hear from local communities about water. The message was loud and clear – water is critical – and in the face of climate change, population growth and increasing demand we need a plan.
    [Show full text]
  • Maintaining Straw-Necked Ibis Habitat at the Western Treatment Plant Despite Changes in Agriculture
    Maintaining Straw-necked Ibis Maintaining Straw-necked Ibis habitat habitatat the at Western the Western Treatment Treatment Plant Plantas despite pasture changes is converted in agriculture to crops P.V. Macak, D.I. Rogers and P.W. Menkhorst December 2017 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 285 delwp.vic.gov.au Photo credit Straw-necked Ibis at the Western Treatment Plant (Danny Rogers) © The State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning 2017 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. You are free to re-use the work under that licence, on the condition that you credit the State of Victoria as author. The licence does not apply to any images, photographs or branding, including the Victorian Coat of Arms, the Victorian Government logo and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) logo. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ISSN 1835-3827 (print) ISSN 1835-3835 (pdf) ISBN 978-1-76077-018-1 (print) ISBN 978-1-76077-019-8 (pdf/online) Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Accessibility If you would like to receive this publication in an alternative format, please telephone the DELWP Customer Service Centre on 136186, email [email protected], or via the National Relay Service on 133 677 www.relayservice.com.au.
    [Show full text]
  • View Final Report 4.30 Mb
    Environment and Natural Resources Committee Inquiry into Melbourne’s Future Water Supply June 2009 Inquiry into Melbourne’s Future Water Supply Report of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee on the Inquiry into Melbourne’s Future Water Supply ORDERED TO BE PRINTED Victorian Government Printer 2009 Parliamentary Paper No. 174 Session 2006-2009 i Parliament of Victoria Environment and Natural Resources Committee Inquiry into Melbourne’s Future Water Supply ISBN - 978-0-9757811-4-2 The Committee would like to thank Melbourne Water for allowing its images to be used on the front cover This report is printed on 100% recycled paper. Table of contents Committee Members ........................................................................................... xi The Environment and Natural Resources Committee .................................... xiii Terms of reference ............................................................................................. xv Chair’s foreword ............................................................................................... xvii Executive summary........................................................................................... xix Framework for managing Melbourne’s water supply ..................................... xix Water use efficiency and conservation ............................................................ xx Stormwater and rainwater – harvesting, storage and use ............................ xxii The reuse of treated wastewater ....................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • MELBOURNE WATER Water Resources and the Environment 2002/03 CONTENTS Water Resources and the Environment 2002/03
    MELBOURNE WATER Water Resources and the Environment 2002/03 CONTENTS Water Resources and the Environment 2002/03 Who we are 1 What we do 2 Who we work with 3 Why we produced this report 3 Performance snapshot 5 Conserving our precious water 6 Impact of the drought 8 Our water challenge 10 Recycling water towards a greener future 12 Western region 14 Eastern region 14 Future opportunities 15 How we operate to protect the environment 16 The Western Treatment Plant 18 The Eastern Treatment Plant 19 Our no-odour objective 21 Sustainable management of biosolids 22 Reducing greenhouse emissions 22 Waterways and stormwater management 26 Planning healthy catchments 27 Improving waterway habitat 28 Improving stormwater quality 29 How healthy are our waterways? 31 Research into waterway health and aquatic life 33 Managing environmental flows 35 Improving the health of our bays 37 Our environmental performance 38 Eastern Treatment Plant inputs and discharges 39 Western Treatment Plant inputs and discharges 41 Waterway water quality monitoring 44 Key performance indicators 48 Melbourne Water Environment Policy 49 Verification statement 50 Glossary 51 Feedback form WHO WE ARE Melbourne Water is owned by the Victorian Government. An independent Board of Directors is responsible for the Our operating area extends from Melbourne’s water governance of Melbourne Water. The responsible Minister supply catchments high up in the Yarra Ranges, is the Minister for Water. to the Mornington Peninsula and Western Port, Our people have diverse skills and expertise, and range north to Yan Yean and west to Werribee. from environmental scientists to engineers and research We are a significant business, managing $7.1 billion and technology specialists, and we place a high priority of natural and built assets.
    [Show full text]