By CHARLENE MACAULAY
CITY West Water is pouring money back into vital infrastructure.
The corporation splashed out a record $182.2 million in infrastructure across the West and inner Melbourne over the 2012-13 financial year, according to its annual report.
The investment is a $37.4 million increase on the previous year, with the bulk of funds going towards the West Werribee Dual Water Supply Project and the Arrow Program – two of City West Water’s landmark projects.
The West Werribee project is currently under construction and will provide high quality recycled water to 20,000 homes when complete next year.
Meanwhile, the Arrow Program is a business-wide transformation program that will upgrade City West Water’s IT platform and streamline its services.
City West Water also saw the completion of the Brimbank Alternative Water Supply project as well as a number of smaller scale upgrades to the water supply sewerage system networks.
The report revealed that City West Water customers collectively purchased 103.2 billion litres over the year, with the average customer using 157 litres of water per day.
Managing director Anne Barker praised the record investment and continued low average water usage.
“It’s fantastic to see this record investment in Melbourne’s West, which is bringing some of the largest projects we’ve ever undertaken closer to completion and will deliver long lasting solutions to the region’s water needs,” Ms Barker said.
“Many of these projects represent years of hard work and planning, and I am confident that when they represent sound investments for the City West Water and for the community we service.”
Ms Barker said 2012-13 saw the company outperform many operational targets during the year, particularly in relation to restoration of supply, and zero customers experiencing more than five unplanned interruptions to their water supply despite the dry weather over summer.
