Policy Update – December 2022

Practical guidance documents to support the implementation of EPA revised guideline for water recycling

A meeting between DELWP, the consultants preparing the guidance documents and VicWater has been scheduled for early December. Discussion at this meeting will focus on the feedback that has been provided on the draft documents and the next steps to develop drafts of the documents that can be used for broader consultation with our members.

Carbon Offsets project

Phase 2 of this project is now complete and the report for this Phase has been finalised. The report included work undertaken by both the Portfolio and Governance Working Groups as well as the report on the ACCU Portfolio Scenario prepared by MAG.

The Phase 2 report was considered by the Managing Directors at their Forum on 1 December 2022. Following a good discussion the Managing Directors gave their approval for the project to proceed to Phase 3. The outcome of this phase will be the recommendation of a delivery vehicle, showing the project is technically, legally, operationally and economically feasible.

General Environmental Duty and Water Corporation Information Gathering Notice

In response to VicWater’s request for an extension of the submission date for the response to the IGN, EPA advised that it has a standard process for notice extension requests which can be addressed on a case by case basis between the issuing officer and the notice recipient.

A draft version of the standard template which can be used for responses to the EPA IGN request has been provided to members.

Collaborative improvements to onsite wastewater management practices

Development of the background paper to inform the workshop for the onsite wastewater management project has been delayed. However, the workshop is expected to be scheduled in early December.

The project is now expected to be complete early in the new year.

Mutual Aid Program

With impacts from the floods still being felt by a number of water corporations, VicWater’s Mutual Aid Program is still operating. If any of our members have any queries about the program, or require any assistance please email Stuart Craven (stuart.craven@vicwater.org.au).