The Environment Protection Authority and Coliban Water have reached an outcome regarding the new Operating Licence for the Kyneton Water Reclamation Plant. The below statement is from Damian Wells, Managing Director.
I am pleased that the amended licence will contain environmental performance standards that will protect the environment and human health and are consistent with our Environment and Sustainability Policy.
In 2019, we acknowledged the plant’s historical non-compliance issues and began a $20 million investment program.
Over the past four years, this investment has delivered a dramatic step-change in environmental performance, including:
- A 95% reduction in phosphorus in river releases of highly treated water.
- A trebling of treated water storage.
- Construction of a 14-kilometre pipeline to supply recycled water for agricultural use.
- A new Class C to Class B recycled water facility.
- Major new agricultural recycled water customers are connected and operating, with an additional 350 megalitres of recycled water provided for agricultural use each year.
- Continued supply of recycled water to the Kyneton Racecourse, the Kyneton Botanic Gardens and local sports fields.
Coliban Water and the EPA have agreed to the conditions for Kyneton’s Water Reclamation Plant Licence, which was underpinned by an extensive evidence-based environmental risk assessment.
The conditions will meet the needs of the Campaspe River and the surrounding environment, as well as our customers and the broader community.
We will continue major environmental protection investments across the 49 towns that we serve over the coming five years as part of our $435m capital investment program, which is supported by our customers and endorsed by the Essential Services Commission.
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