The VicWater team was thrilled last month to welcome a record 280 attendees to our 2026 Annual Conference. With the theme ‘Celebrating Excellence: Leading the Way Forward’, the program demonstrated our sector’s willingness to embrace new ideas, collaborate across organisational boundaries and tackle complex challenges together.
It was inspiring to hear presentations from many of our members about the work they are doing to advance positive outcomes in circular economy, environmental stewardship, net zero and climate action, customer engagement, employee experience and Traditional Owner partnerships. We also had the opportunity to hear from interstate colleagues and external experts as part of panel sessions on data centres and water security.
For me, one of the most powerful messages of the conference came from keynote speaker Carla McGrath, a Torres Strait Islander leader, who challenged us to recognise the harm that can be caused to First Peoples when consultation occurs without meaningful action. Carla shared with us her ‘three Rs’ for building successful partnerships with First Peoples – to make sure we’re in Right Relationship, to strive for Reciprocity and to maintain Resistance to falling back into old ways.
I’d like to start by sharing that this will be my last update. I have taken up a Digital Water role in the private sector and will therefore step down from the Program Director role at IWN on 23 October.
I’d like to thank the 160+ people who have been a part of the IWN journey over the past 3.5 years and the incredible partners and collaborators that we’ve worked with. I’d particularly like to thank Izzy and the wider VicWater Team for all of their support, guidance and belief in IWN.
The past month has been full of celebrations and success, we:
- awarded $320,000 of funding through the Water Minister’s Climate Innovation Challenge at the Award Ceremony last week.
- disinfected wastewater with UV that was previously impossible to disinfect with UV.
- removed pharmaceuticals and personal care products from recycled water along with PFAS.
- fired up the IWN bus and shared the tremendous success of the Victorian Advanced Grey Water Recycling System trials and the new Heat as a Service sewer heat mining project at Barwon Asset Solutions.
- headed across the ditch to share IWN’s model of innovation at the Water NZ Conference.
2026 Water Ministers Climate Innovation Challenge Awardees
At the most recent VicWater Equity Diversity and Inclusion Practitioners Network meeting, the Gender Equality Commission attended to share the outcomes from the State of gender equality in Victoria’s public sector 2026, which provides a detailed view of gender equality across the public sector.
The report is a really interesting read, specifically for water and land management.
The Strengthening Adaptation Capability Across Victoria’s Water Corporations Program saw progress in September, with Adaptus running three drop-in sessions for the program working group to sense test the draft principles-based guidance document. On 18 September a second sector-wide workshop was held to:
- assess whether the draft principles address the challenges that were raised in the first workshop; and
- consider whether the draft principles would work in each water corporation.
The VicWater team are getting active from 22 – 23 October to support WaterAid Australia’s annual initiative Walk for Water by joining Zoe Walsh from Sequana and Chris Edwards from Inside Water on a 83.3 km Ultra Walk!
Team members have selected sections of theUltra Walk to walk, to raise much-needed funds and awareness for the 703 million people worldwide – 1 in 10 – who lack access to safe water close to home.
The Ultra Walk will link South East Water, Melbourne Water, Yarra Valley Water and Greater Western Water through a two-day journey across Melbourne.
We encourage the water sector to join the walk for the full 83.3km challenge or selected legs, or support the initiative through a donation.
The event aims to shed light on the daily struggles of millions who endure long journeys to access clean water, a hardship that affects their health, education and quality of life.
For more information on how to participate or donate, please click below.
Your super is your money, and you get to choose who manages your retirement savings – a decision that can have a big impact on the amount of money you retire with.
A good super fund aims to help its members build healthy balances so they can enjoy a comfortable lifestyle in their later years.
Applications close of 18 October for the 2027 Peter Cullen Trust Leadership Program—Australia’s premier leadership experience for emerging and established leaders across the water, climate and environment sectors.
Water Law and Natural Resource Management
Calling all budding water lawyers, water practitioners and water policy makers! Want to amp up your water law skills? Join Dr Erin O’Donnell at Melbourne Law School for a five day intensive Masters Law class dedicated to water law and management.
Yarra Valley Water have announced that construction is underway on a new community hub at Wollert Community Farm, creating more opportunities to learn, volunteer and connect with nature.
Central Highlands Water seeks support to reduce water use during planned improvements to the water treatment process used in the Landsborough and Navarre region, representing a $2.5 million investment in the region’s water supply.
Landcare Grants bolster grassroots efforts in nature conservation
Melbourne Water is pleased to deliver more than half a million dollars in 110 Landcare grants this year, supporting community-led initiatives to restore, enhance and protect local natural landscapes.
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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