Policy Update – September 2023

Water operations training project

Finalising of the member survey to identify the training gaps and needs of the water sector has taken longer than anticipated and it will now be distributed in early September. A meeting has been held with WaterRA to brief them on the project and seek their input.

Carbon Offsets Project

MAG/Aurecon has now held three workshops with the project oversight group. These workshops have covered the following topics: re-affirming and aligning our Carbon procurement objectives and identifying / assessing the key risks inherent to designing and implementing a Carbon Procurement Strategy; reviewing the available partnership models for project delivery: and a market scan of the key players involved in the Environmental Plantings / Plantation Forestry sector. MAG is preparing the final report for these workshops and this will inform how we progress with the market testing Request for Information.

Victorian Water Sector Recycled Products Database Project

An RFQ has been developed in consultation with DEECA’s Water & Catchments Group to identify a consultant to undertake the following work:

• Information gathering and development of sustainable products database (including alignment with the MRWA portal);
• Analysis of material flows and carbon emissions in the water sector and research into sustainable product markets; and
• Recommend sustainable procurement indicators and future data attributes.

It is expected that this work will commence in November.

Other Activities

A meeting was held with the Department of Health to discuss VicWater’s new Strategic Plan and agree on how VicWater and DH can best work together.

Met with DEECA’s Water and catchments group to discuss their community engagement program and learnings from previous similar projects.

Site visit with North East Water to attend the Biochar Trial PCG meeting and workshop.