Population growth and climate change are driving greater reliance on more costly sources of water to meet demands for agricultural, urban and cultural uses of water within Victoria’s Werribee River Catchment.
Declining water availability and quality in both surface and recycled water supplies threatens the productivity and viability of critical food production irrigation districts within the catchment. Additionally, irrigation supply and urbanisation threaten to further degrade the health of the Werribee River Catchment, impacting Traditional Owners’ ability to own and manage water for culture and Country under the principles of self-determination.
Strategic Fit
This proposal aligns with the Australian Government objectives outlined in the National Water Grid Fund Investment Framework: •
- providing safe and reliable water for regional and remote communities
- generating public benefit through responsible investment in water infrastructure for productive use
- building resilient water infrastructure that is environmentally sustainable and culturally responsive.
Delivering a positive outcome for Traditional Owners aligns with Australian Government objectives, including supporting progress on the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
Societal Impact
The options investigated in the proposal are expected to deliver productivity, environmental and cultural benefits, as well as avoid costs associated with manufacturing water.
Securing a reliable, high-quality water supply will enable productivity optimisation for growers in the Werribee and Bacchas Marsh Irrigation Districts. Returning water to the Werribee River will help restore flows to a level that can sustain important ecological processes and habitat, mitigating the impacts of a drier climate as a result of climate change. Additionally, access to water enables self-determined use and management of water to improve health of Mob and Country for the three Traditional Owner groups within the Werribee catchment.
The proposal will also reduce the need for manufactured water for urban supply, avoiding the relatively high costs and energy consumption associated with treating water, for example through desalination, compared to traditional surface water and groundwater sources.
Deliverability
As further planning is undertaken, the proposal would benefit from the following to reduce risks to delivery:
- providing more evidence to describe how the governance arrangements are suitable for a systemic, whole-of-system integrated delivery approach.
- detailing the planning, regulatory and environmental approval pathways for the preferred option.
- Integrating lessons learned from other projects, particularly in collaboration with other states and territories, to develop the preferred option.
Additionally, while a stakeholder engagement exercise has occurred, community engagement on localised impacts and outcomes is required to help inform options analysis and identification of the preferred solution.
Proponent to develop a detailed business case (Stage 3 of Infrastructure Australia’s Assessment Framework).
IA recommends development of a detailed business case to analyse and detail opportunities for infrastructure that improves water availability in the Werribee catchment. The business case should be prepared to meet the requirements of the IA Assessment Framework and the NWGA Investment Framework.