Barwon preps water source

Anglesea borefield forums continue

BARWON Water customers are receptive to the company turning on its bores at Anglesea to guarantee water supply for the Surf Coast, southern Geelong, and the Bellarine Peninsula.

Low rainfall in the past year coupled with forecasts of dry weather ahead has prompted the decision.

Geelong’s water storages are at 52 per cent, 2 per cent lower than this time last year. This follows low rainfall at the start of the year — the lowest received since 2013 — and similar to levels experienced during the millennium drought.

Rainfall in the Otway Ranges has seen storages rise almost 20 per cent in the past two months.

As part of ensuring water security for the region, Barwon Water is undertaking early work to prepare the Anglesea borefield so it can be used, if needed, this coming spring and summer.

Managing director Tracey Slatter said Barwon Water is hosting a number of community information sessions to discuss ways of securing the region’s water supply.

“Attendees at the first session held on Thursday, July 25 appreciated the comprehensive information and level of detail provided,” she said.

“They told us it was important to see us ‘out and about’ engaging with the community.

“There was a high level of interest in the Anglesea River, details of the rigorous environmental monitoring and assessment program, and how our interconnected network supplies water from a range of sources to towns and suburbs from the Surf Coast through to the Bellarine Peninsula.”

The Anglesea borefield was completed in 2009 following the millennium drought.

A critical water source, it can supply up to five billion litres a year in times of need to Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Torquay, the Bellarine Peninsula, and parts of southern Geelong.

Apart from operational testing, it has not been used.

The borefield consists of seven production bores across two sites that tap into the ‘Lower Eastern View Formation’ — a vast underground aquifer around 700 metres below the surface, stretching from the Otway foothills to the Southern Ocean.

There are two more information sessions planned, including tomorrow from 10am to 1pm and on Tuesday, August 20 from 4pm to 7pm.

Sessions are held at the Anglesea — Aireys Inlet Senior Citizens Club, 1 Macmillan St, Anglesea. Community members are encouraged to drop-in any time.

Barwon Water has established a dedicated community engagement website at yoursay. barwonwater. vic. gov. au/ anglesea-borefield.