Read about the latest news, events and research from VicWater, and your colleagues around the Victorian water sector.
VicWater Update August 2023
Since late last year the VicWater Board and team have been working on our new five year strategic plan, and I’m very pleased to report that last month it was unanimously endorsed by our members.
Our ‘Better Together’ Strategic Plan 2023-2028 provides clarity on our strategic focus and boundaries, identifies opportunities to create value and have impact, details the initiatives we will undertake and explains how we will measure and report outcomes.
The plan outlines the four strategic priorities that we will focus on over the next five years:
Advocate to influence the regulatory environment
Facilitate sector collaboration
Advance member capability and performance
Promote Victoria’s water sector
Our activities within each of these priority areas will help to ensure we are meeting our purpose: “VicWater unites the Victorian water sector to deliver better outcomes for customers, community and the environment.”
In developing our new plan we undertook extensive engagement with our members and stakeholders to understand their needs and expectations, and I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to contribute their views.
A reminder that our Annual Conference is coming up on 13-14 September. With all the focus on inflation, interest rates and cost of living, this year our theme is ‘Navigating the Waters: Adapting to Economic Challenges in the Water Sector’. Our day one keynote speaker is well-known economist and media commentator Nicki Hutley. Registrations are now open – see item below.
The working group is currently finalising the member survey to identify the training gaps and needs of the water sector. The survey will be sent out in mid-August and the results will be used to develop a training program that will be presented to the MDs in November 2023. Once the survey has been sent out the working group will take the opportunity to explore options for what an expanded training program could look like.
VicWater convenes a Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee (DISC), which is chaired by Deb Fankhauser from Lower Murray Water and has representation from most of the Victorian water corporations. This year the DISC has been working to develop a new Strategy which will run from 2024-2028 and aims to build on the foundations from the 2018 -2023 Strategy and embed a culture of diversity and inclusion across the sector.
The Annual Conference Program will include 3 panel sessions on Day 1, focusing on key issues that are impacting the water sector and how the current economic state is adding further challenges to these already complex issues. We will talk to subject matter experts to hear their perspective and insights on how we can tackle these matters.
Cost of living pressures are impacting a greater proportion of our community with people having to make hard decisions regarding which bills to pay.
What trends are panellists seeing in this space, what support is offered to customers and how is its effectiveness being measured?
Capital Project Challenges Panel
New capital projects are facing a number of challenges including competition from Victoria’s Big Build program, global supply chain constraints reducing the availability and driving up the price of materials, increasing govt regulation/requirements and a constrained labour market.
How are project proponents dealing with these challenges and what learnings are there for future projects?
Take a further read and see who we have lined up to speak at our panel sessions.
Intelligent Water Networks is thrilled to announce the Hon Harriet Shing MLC, Minister for Water, has launched the Water Minister’s Climate Innovation Challenge.
In collaboration with the Minister for Water and DEECA, IWN is inviting all Victorian water corporations to take part in this exciting new challenge that encourages innovation, collaboration and sustainable thinking.
With a prize pool of $85 000 up for grabs, we’re looking for projects that improve climate resilience through reducing the effects of climate change or finding new ways and opportunities to respond to these impacts. Submissions to the Water Minister’s Climate Innovation Challenge can be made at climateinnovationchallenge.org.au.
At Vision Super, we support measures to boost women’s retirement savings.
Currently, women make up the majority of the part-time and casual workforce. Before 2022, many of these working women did not qualify for superannuation guarantee (SG) payments because the government had set the threshold pay for employers to pay SG at $450 a month. And many casual workers work multiple jobs but earn less than $450 a month from one employer - they were also missing out on super.
Vision Super advocated for the government to drop this threshold by lobbying the government, explaining the need for change to our members.
Dean commenced in this role on Monday 31st July 2023, and brings over 30 years of water industry experience, previously leading the Intelligent Water Networks Program on behalf of the Victorian and Tasmanian water industry, in addition to previous Board, Management and Executive roles.
We would also like to acknowledge our outgoing Managing Director, George Wall and thank him for his contribution of many years. Dean and the WIOA Board are focused on building on our 50 year foundation, and are excited to be delivering the next chapter at WIOA.
On World Environment Day (5 June), South East Water was proud to announce the development of an innovative tool created to identify environmental sensitivities to proactively protect our environment.
The Environmental Sensitivity Map locates key environmental habitats for endangered species and critical vegetation and helps determine the vulnerability of local waterways and wetlands.
Initially, South East Water created the map as an incident response tool. It’s grown to assist with strategic environmental planning, assessments and regulatory requirements, providing an important baseline of understanding for areas of environmental significance within its service area.
Yarra Valley Water has been named an Excellence Awardee in the Best Remote Work Strategy category in the prestigious Australian HR Awards 2023. The awards, run by Human Resources Director, recognise the achievements of HR professionals, teams, and employers at a national level.
The Best Remote Work Strategy category acknowledges excellence in virtual and remote work programs and practices. Entries are scored on initiatives across a range of areas including levels of innovation, employee engagement, productivity and results.
The Victorian Government has granted Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation nearly $450,000 for works at Murrk Ngubitj Yarram Yaluk, the site of Barwon Water’s former Bellarine Basin, which is being transformed into 30 hectares of public open space.
Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation Interim CEO Liam Murphy said the organisation was thrilled to receive the funding for the important project, that would go toward improving the local environment in line with Wadawurrung values.
Successful operation of Wy Yung water tank paves the way for liner replacement works. Over the past few weeks, East Gippsland Water has been testing the operation of the new 36ML concrete water storage tank at our Wy Yung water storage facility in readiness for the 88ML water storage basin being offline for repairs next year.
The testing forms part of the larger Wy Yung water storage basin liner replacement project that is due to commence in March 2024. The project will involve replacing the existing liner and floating cover with new and improved materials at an estimated cost of $6 million.
Do you have a water sector event you'd like to promote? Maybe an announcement you'd like us to share on behalf of your organisation? VicWater Update has opened the news and events section of the monthly update to promote visibility of things that are happening within the water sector.
If you'd like something included email Lauren Vines with your request for consideration in our next edition.
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