We understand the privileged role that Coliban Water has in working with the Victorian Government and the broader community to build the economic and employment strength of our region and its diverse communities.
Reliable water supply and treatment is a critical factor in the type and success of industry that operates in our dry climate. Industries in our region – from agriculture to health– rely on affordable, reliable and efficient delivery of water services.
Water demand is projected to increase over time mainly due to population growth and increased temperature. Our 2016 baseline urban demand of 28,658 ML/year is expected to rise to 58,671 ML/year by 2065. By 2040, the shortfall in supply relative to demand may reach 15,300 ML across our nine water supply systems. Without intervention this shortfall will lead to unacceptable water restrictions that could potentially stifle local economies.
Industry needs fit-for-purpose infrastructure to support current and future activity. Some areas will require infrastructure upgrades, while requirements in other areas will plateau or diminish over time. It is crucial that we work with stakeholders to influence and anticipate growth and decline across our region.
The outcomes of this strategy direction to achieve our 2030 vision will be:
- A shared vision for regional water services with our stakeholders
- Enough water to sustain and grow economic activity and investment
- Integrated, sustainable and reliable water cycle infrastructure
- Integrated water management is business as usual
- No stranded assets
- Price affordability as assessed by the pricing regulator.
The strategically important actions to achieve these outcomes are:
- Conduct a multi-agency investigation of infrastructure needed to support a much larger population
- Develop an Integrated Asset Investment Plan in partnership with customers, agencies, and industry
- Continue to develop integrated water management plans in partnership with local government
- Investigate new technologies and markets to optimise performance, including digital and energy technology
- Research to understand customer affordability.
