GOULBURN Valley residents are encouraged to learn about the world of water this month, with two of Goulburn Valley Water’s sites open to the public for the first time since the pandemic.
The tours are being held as part of National Water Week, which begins on Monday, October 17. The theme this year is ‘Our Water Stories’, encouraging people to explore their own stories around water and its importance in their lives every day.
Students across the Goulburn Valley have also been creating water-themed works of art during Term 3, challenging them to create a jigsaw puzzle artwork sharing their water story.
Finalists will be announced during National Water Week. Goulburn Valley Water managing director, Steve Capewell said the tours during National Water Week were a great opportunity for a rare insight behind the scenes at two of GVW’s water treatment plants.
“National Water Week is a great opportunity to learn more about where your water comes from, and the process we go through to filter and treat it to high standards to ensure it’s safe to drink,” Dr Capewell said.
‘It’s also a great reminder of how important it is to be waterwise to conserve water for future generations to enjoy and how much we rely on water in our daily lives, from drinking and cooking to hygiene, cleaning and recreation.”
An upgrade was completed at Tatura during the past couple of years, expanding the plant’s capacity to treat 12 megalitres of water per day to 18ML, which will help meet future demand as the town grows. A new dissolved air floatation and filtration plant was also installed. Shepparton’s treatment plant also received upgrades on its filter systems in the past year to help improve the treatment process.
Tour spots are limited, and registrations are essential – they close at 3pm on Friday, October 14. To book your spot or for more information, visit gvwater.vic.gov.au/community/national-waterweek.
