Customer engagement has started on the Werribee System Reconfiguration Project, with the first meeting of a customer reference group held in Werribee this week.
The customer reference group, consisting of primary producers and water entitlement holders, met to discuss to the Werribee System Reconfiguration Project, a new initiative examining how potable, river and recycled water might in future be used in the Werribee River system.
A key focus of consultation will be irrigation supply requirements, which includes the provision of a reliable, high quality and recycled irrigation water supply -- that potentially secures the future of farming in the Werribee and Bacchus Marsh irrigation districts.
The customer reference group was appointed following an Expression of Interest process in late 2023 and will support the project team to understand customer needs and requirements for a future irrigation supply system.
Feedback from the group will be important to inform a business case for the Werribee System Reconfiguration Project, which will consider irrigation opportunities alongside potable water, river health, environment and traditional owner benefits. Incorporating a whole-of catchment approach potentially improves the viability of the business case, securing funding and realising the benefits.
A preliminary business case is due in 2024 and the final business case in 2026.
There will be no changes to water entitlements without the agreement of customers.
Six customer reference group meetings will be held from March to August, with each meeting dedicated to a specific theme and some meetings featuring subject matter experts.
Summaries from each meeting will be published on Southern Rural Water’s project website. Irrigation customers that are not reference group members will have the opportunity to provide written submissions on the provided topics – and what they might want from a future system.