Greater Western Water is required to apply to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for a development licence to upgrade the Romsey Recycled Water Plant.

The EPA has to make sure environmental conditions are met, and that we have consulted appropriately with the community on the project before it can go ahead.

Greater Western Water is exploring several future projects that could have benefits for the local community.

We would like to know which of these might interest you the most.

You can tell us what you think under the 'Have Your Say' tab, and you can also comment on each one under the 'Potential Opportunities' tab.

The Romsey Recycled Water Plant services both Romsey and Lancefield.

If possible, it is stored on site.

Gisborne, Riddells Creek and Woodend recycled water plants have a licence from the Environmental Protection Authority to discharge excess volumes into a nearby creek under strict conditions.

The Romsey plant currently does not have an ongoing discharge licence.

During sustained heavy rainfall we may conduct a temporary discharge of controlled amounts of water. Where this happens, we work closely with the EPA and monitor closely for any impacts to human and environmental health.

Releasing, or discharging, controlled amounts of recycled water into waterways is an option to managing excess water, particularly during sustained heavy rainfall.

Ongoing wet weather conditions sometimes result in a significant rise in the amount of water stored at a recycled water plant, and discharging excess recycled water from storage helps to reduce any potential for uncontrolled overflows and protects the recycled water plant infrastructure to continue providing an essential service to the community.

Where we do this, we’re bound by strict rules, set by the Victorian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), that hold us accountable and are committed to making sure the water we release into waterways has the least possible impact on human health and environmental health.

If the plant does not have an ongoing discharge licence, we will notify the EPA and undertake a necessary temporary release, monitoring closely for any impacts of this release on the environment or human health.

We want to make sure you have the information you need to understand the project, ask questions and provide your feedback.

If you need more information, we can provide it here with regular updates.

You can also sign up for regular updates.

Project feedback will be collated into a report that will be shared with the community and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

There are three classes of recycled water. Recycled water produced in the Macedon Ranges is Class B and C.

• Class C recycled water is used to irrigate cooked or processed human food crops, including wine grapes and olives. It can also be used for livestock grazing and fodder and for human food crops grown over a meter above the ground and eaten raw such as apples, pears, table grapes and cherries. It can be used by councils to maintain public parks, gardens and sports grounds.
• Class B recycled water can be used to irrigate sports fields, golf courses and dairy cattle grazing land. It can also be used for industrial wash down as well as for the uses listed for Class C.
• Class A is the highest quality of recycled water, with the widest range of uses, including some which involve direct human contact. These include clothes washing, toilet flushing, garden watering and firefighting. It can be used to irrigate food crops that eaten raw, or sold to consumers uncooked or unprocessed. Class A can also be used for any of the Class B and C uses. Class A is not subject to Permanent Water Saving Rules or water restrictions.

Find out more about recycled water

Underground sewers carry sewage from toilets, showers, laundry sinks and kitchen sinks to a centralised wastewater treatment plant for treatment and disposal.

Your property connects to the sewer network via your house connection drain and our sewer main.

Find out more about where your sewerage goes

There are four recycled water plants in the Macedon Ranges, each operating slightly differently. Take a look at our interactive map and find out more.

As the Macedon Ranges grows, we will have more wastewater to treat, and more recycled water to manage.

In 2021, we treated 11.9 billion litres of sewage in the Macedon Ranges. Of this, 5.3 billion litres was used by customers, leaving us with another 6.6 billion litres to manage.

We’re looking at what we can do to upgrade our services, explore ways to find more recycled water customers, and find other sustainable solutions, to make sure we’re prepared for a range of scenarios. Your feedback will help us find solutions that will best meet the needs of the community.

Climate change will increase the impact of these challenges with Victoria becoming drier over the long-term, with more extreme events including droughts, floods and heatwaves.

Rainfall will decline. The Victorian Government predicts that by 2065, water flowing into some catchments could reduce by around 50% per year. This means less water will be available water in storages.

However, we’re also likely to see more intense storms, which can cause a range of other storage, management and demand issues.

Sustained heavy rainfall and ongoing wet weather conditions sometimes result in a significant rise in the amount of water stored at a recycled water plant.

If the plant has a discharge license, we may release controlled amounts of recycled water to a waterway. If the plant does not have an ongoing discharge licence, we will notify the EPA and undertake a necessary temporary release, monitoring closely for any impacts of this release on the environment or human health.

Discharging excess recycled water from storage helps to reduce any potential for uncontrolled overflows and protects the recycled water plant infrastructure to continue providing an essential service to the community.