Victoria’s water corporations have signed an agreement to reduce their emissions to net zero by 2035.
Welcoming the Statement of Obligations, the Minister for Water, Harriet Shing said the Statement locked all 18 water corporations into reaching net zero.
“This will make Victoria’s water sector the first in Australia to commit to net-zero emissions by 2035,” Ms Shing said.
“Victoria’s water corporations are already working on changing emission-intensive operations to utilise the renewable energy they generate – keeping water bills low for Victorians,” she said.
“The obligations require the sector to reduce its collective emissions by 42 per cent and source 100 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2025.”
Ms Shing said a net zero water sector by 2035 would mean the industry had reduced its annual emissions by almost 900,000 tonnes per year – equivalent to the annual emissions produced by more than 250,000 cars on Victoria’s roads.
She said Central Highlands Water had installed more than 6,336 solar panels, which power almost half their energy needs across four water and wastewater plants – “saving up to 3,745 tonnes of emissions annually.”
“Other projects include Barwon Water’s Colac Renewable Organics Network; Yarra Valley Water’s Waste to Energy facility in Wollert; and Wannon Water’s 800-kilowatt wind turbine – producing clean renewable energy for two years,” the Minister said.
“The sector is also exploring the use of sustainable recycled water sources for renewable hydrogen production and capturing more biogas from sewage treatment.”
