“I see YV Water as a climate leader, helping people and the water sector build a resilient future”

We also have extensive monitoring and renewal programs to help maintain a network of 21,500 kilometres of water, recycled water and sewer mains. Some projects, like our M4 Water Main Renewal, are replacing pipes that are over a century old. These projects are considerable undertakings, but are crucial to maintain reliable services into the future.

We’ve also begun to ensure we can maintain reliable services as the impacts of climate change intensify. We have developed a Climate Resilience Risk Assessment Framework that uses data to assess the risk of bushfires, floods, droughts and rising temperatures impacting our assets under predicted climate scenarios. This helps guide the location and design of future assets, as well as upgrades to existing assets, ensuring they can withstand hotter, drier and more extreme conditions.

Reducing water loss and optimising system performance are now key measures of efficiency for utilities. What approaches is Yarra Valley Water taking — operationally or through technology — to get more from its existing network assets?

We’re working to prevent leaks and bursts before they happen. We have several initiatives that identify potential issues, so we can repair or replace infrastructure before it fails, saving water and money.

Some projects like our M4 Water Main Renewal are replacing pipes over a century old, crucial to maintain reliable services into the future

For several years, we’ve worked with Aqua Analytics to proactively detect leaks across our network through a range of methods. This includes using AI data loggers to better understand asset performance, and acoustic tools to detect watermain leaks. By integrating Aqua Analytics’ technology into our infrastructure, we’re better equipped to identify and resolve issues before they result in significant water loss.

In addition to the work we’re doing to prevent asset failures, we’re also striving to make sure that when there are leaks or bursts, we are able to fix them as quickly as possible, and minimise the amount of water lost. Our District Metered Area program is a major asset in helping us identify leaks. It now covers over half of our network, using remote monitoring devices underground to provide real-time data on our network performance, helping us detect and respond to any anomalies.

We also look to empower the community to notify us when they see a leak or burst. We have partnered with Snap, Send, Solve to provide a quick and easy way to report any faults that need fixing. This partnership has encouraged community members to report more faults, helping us solve issues faster.