News and Media Releases

Under State laws duck shooting is not permitted at Lake Bellfield, Lake Wartook and Moora Moora Reservoir.

The Game Management Authority have advised that:

• Duck hunting at Lake Lonsdale (near Stawell) is closed to hunting due to the presence of a large number of threatened Freckled Duck.
• Hunting from boats at Pine Lake (near Horsham) will be prohibited on Pine Lake due to the presence of a large number of Blue-billed Duck. However, hunters are permitted to use non-motorised boats to retrieve downed birds hunted from the shoreline.’

For more information or enquiries please refer to this link - http://www.gma.vic.gov.au/hunting/duck/where-to-hunt/wetland-closures

Shooting of ducks is permitted at: Dock Lake, Taylors Lake, Toolondo Lake, Green Lake (near Horsham), Lake Fyans and Rocklands Reservoir. Shooters are asked not to shoot within one kilometre of our structures, housing or other buildings located on GWMWater property.

More about duck season is available on www.gma.vic.gov.au

Harrow’s water supply has returned to normal operation. Customers may resume outside watering in accordance with the State-wide Permanent Water Saving Rules.

We thank our customers for their cooperation for minimising their outside water use whilst we removed non-toxic algae from Harrow’s water storage.

If you require further information or to talk to us about any aspect of our services, please phone our Customer Call Centre during business hours on 1300 659 961.

For any service difficulties or faults, please call us any time on 1800 188 586.

We are a proud sponsor of WaterAid and support the work they do world-wide. On 4 March 2019 we were privileged to have guest speaker, Leigh Mawby, Corporate Partnerships Manager from WaterAid visit us, and who spoke to staff about WaterAid’s initiatives and programs.

Pictured is Leigh presenting our Executive Manager Infrastructure, Nalaka Vitharana with a Silver Member 2019 plaque for our support. This plaque is on display in our Reception area at our Corporate Office for visitors to view.

We invite you to look at WaterAid’s work by visiting https://www.wateraid.org/au/ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYuN92kwcWA&t=2s

Consider being involved in the water industry with water corporations and catchment management authorities.

With the terms of 71 existing water corporation directors, including 13 chairpersons and 44 existing catchment management authority directors, including 4 chairpersons expiring on 30 September 2019, the Minister for Water, the Hon Lisa Neville MP, is inviting expressions of interest in these positions.

Applications close Monday, 1 April 2019.

More information and how to apply - www.getonboard.vic.gov.au

Supplying a fully treated water supply to customers in Brim, Beulah, Woomelang and Sea Lake is almost a reality with water programmed to be declared fit for drinking by May/June 2019.

Click on heading to read more ...

GREEN ALERT – current as at 2:30 pm Friday 22 March 2019

Piangil Pump Station

Further laboratory testing of water samples show a reduction in Blue Green Algae levels at the Piangil Pump Station on the Murray River. We will continue to monitor Blue Green Algae levels as the Murray River’s Blue Green Algae levels are fluctuating and is a possibility of further alerts being issued.

For information on our 3-step scale to alert customers of Blue Green Algae levels please visit our website at www.gwmwater.org.au/using-lakes-and-reservoirs/algae-warnings.

Manangatang Township

The Manangatang Water Treatment Plant has resumed normal operation now it can draw from the Murray River due to reduced Blue Green Algae levels.

The town’s water remains suitable for drinking and human consumption purposes.

We are pleased to advise Manangatang customers they may return to normal water usage outside the home in line with the Statewide Permanent Water Saving Rules. www.gwmwater.org.au/conserving-water/water-restrictions/permanent-water-saving-rules

We thank our Manangatang customers for their co-operation in reducing their water usage during the Amber Blue Green Algae alert.

Rural Customers

Rural customers may resume normal on-farm practices for domestic and stock purposes. This includes ensuring that water tanks are full and landholders to ensure properties continue to have three days on-farm storage in case of future Amber or Red Blue Green Algae alerts being issued. We remind customers that the Northern Mallee pipeline stock and domestic supplies are not fit for human consumption.

We will continue to monitor Blue Green Algae levels over the coming months and will keep our customers updated through this page and through our social media accounts (Facebook and Twitter).

GREEN STATUS – current as at 2:30 pm Friday 22 March 2019

Further laboratory testing of water samples show a reduction in Blue Green Algae levels at the Nyah Pump Station on the Murray River. We will continue to monitor Blue Green Algae levels in the Murray River as levels are fluctuating, with a possibility of further alerts being issued.

For information on our 3-step scale to alert customers of Blue Green Algae levels please visit our website at www.gwmwater.org.au/using-lakes-and-reservoirs/algae-warnings.

Rural customers may resume normal on-farm practices for domestic and stock purposes. This includes ensuring that water tanks are full and landholders to ensure properties continue to have three days on-farm storage in case of future Amber or Red Blue Green Algae alerts being issued. We remind customers that the Northern Mallee pipeline stock and domestic supplies are not fit for human consumption.

We will continue to monitor Blue Green Algae levels over the coming months and will keep our customers updated through this page and through our social media accounts (Facebook and Twitter).

Members of the public are advised to avoid direct contact with water in Lake Marma at Murtoa after monitoring detected levels of blue green algae above levels considered safe for recreational use.

For more information please refer to Yarriambiack Shire Council, or visit our Blue-Green Algae information page.

GWMWater is presently experiencing high rates of consumption by rural customers on the Northern Mallee and Wimmera Mallee Pipelines. High stocking rates, and summer weed control, necessitated by unseasonal December rainfall, have resulted in increased customer demand.

Rural customers are reminded that, as per the Rural Customer Charter, three-days’ of backup storage is required to help manage the risk of interruption to supply. This storage also helps to buffer demand over a 24-hour period, providing more consistent pressure and supply rates across the network.

A comprehensive On-Farm Water Reticulation Guide is available, providing practical and technical advice covering all aspects of a piped on-farm system. Download a copy from our website [link] or contact us on 1800 188 586 to get your free printed copy of the guide.

On Wednesday 9 January 2019 it was reported that crews will be in the sewers below Sidmouth (England) for months using hand tools and high-pressure cleaning equipment to break up and clear the fatberg, which is formed from congealed oil, fats and household items.

Fatbergs might be causing problems in the United Kingdom, but they're also an issue for water management authorities in Australia, including GWMWater.

This is what can be done about them. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-10/fatberg-how-to-remove-and-stop-them-building-up/10701656

Remember - Oils, fats and wipes block your pipes as well as ours. Please use the bin instead.