Quality Water for Wannon
We’re embarking on a major project to improve the quality of water in Portland, Heywood and Port Fairy. Quality Water for Wannon will deliver improved taste and overall water quality to these three communities.
The issue
Although the tap water is safe to drink, many people in towns where there’s a groundwater supply, such as Portland, Heywood and Port Fairy, find the taste less palatable because of the naturally occurring mineral salts.
This leads to reduced consumption, which has ongoing health implications. Households face increased costs through the purchase of bottled water and higher maintenance requirements on their home appliances.
There are also environmental impacts due to the disposal of plastic water bottles and economic impacts for businesses and industry.
Understandably, customers who are paying an equivalent price for water services compared to other towns across our region want equitable water quality and taste. That’s why we’re really excited about the jointly funded Quality Water for Wannon Program.
The solution
The water treatment plants in Portland, Heywood and Port Fairy will be upgraded by adding reverse osmosis technology.
This process uses enormous amounts of pressure to force salty water through a membrane (a filter with microscopic holes). The salt molecules are generally too big to squeeze through the holes but the water molecules are small enough to pass through. This leaves most of the salt on one side of the membrane and fresh water on the other side.
This will reduce the saltiness to levels similar to our other water supplies across the region. It will produce high-quality drinking water that meets our strict quality requirements including standards set by the:
- Australian Drinking Water Guidelines
- Victorian Safe Drinking Water Act
- World Health Organisation.
The Quality Water for Wannon Program is jointly funded by the Australian Government, through its National Water Grid Fund, and Wannon Water, who will deliver the project on behalf of its customers and the Victorian Government.
Benefits
The program will mean a lot for households in the three towns, reducing their cost of buying bottled water and maintaining appliances by around $140 each year. Improving the taste of the water will also deliver better public health, cost-of-living, commercial and economic, and environmental outcomes.
Port Fairy, Portland and Heywood
