Project Overview

The Western Irrigation Network (WIN) is a major new recycled water irrigation scheme in Melbourne’s outer west.

Class C recycled water will be used to irrigate farmland in the Parwan-Balliang agricultural district, which has limited and unreliable rainfall.

WIN will deliver a wide range of community benefits including:

• providing a new, secure source of water for agriculture in Melbourne’s west,
• protecting local waterways for future generations, and
• offering the best value solution for Greater Western Water’s customers to manage increasing recycled water volumes.

Background

Bacchus Marsh, Melton and Sunbury are among the fastest growing areas in Victoria, leading to increased volumes of recycled water being produced. WIN is a major solution to manage this, while also providing additional community benefits to a region currently dependent on unreliable rainfall.

WIN is a $116 million project jointly funded by the Australian Government, Greater Western Water and the private agribusinesses, who are WIN's foundation customers.

A reliable water source for dry farmland

Access to a reliable, year-round supply of water will transform the Parwan-Balliang region into a climate-resilient irrigation precinct, providing farmers with an opportunity to grow their agribusinesses and support Victoria’s food bowl.

WIN will initially supply around 2.4 billion litres of recycled water per year to up to 1,500 hectares of farmland in the Parwan-Balliang region. This will increase as irrigators adapt and expand production. By 2050, WIN could deliver up to 18 billion litres of recycled water to farmers each year.

Protecting waterways

As the population in this region increases, so does the amount of wastewater Greater Western Water treats and converts into recycled water. Excess recycled water is either stored for later use or released into waterways near our treatment plants under strict guidelines from Victoria’s Environment Protection Authority (EPA).

Increasing the volume of recycled water supplied for irrigation will reduce discharge into our waterways, improving waterway health and protecting the environment.

Next steps

To ensure WIN delivers the best outcomes for the community and environment, we’ll continue to engage with stakeholders (including Council, Government, EPA, waterways and environment groups, Traditional Owners, and local residents.

We’ll continue to keep you updated as the project progresses.

Get involved

We're interested in hearing your feedback as we move through the project stages. You can complete the survey below, or contact the project team to provide your feedback directly.