Romsey wet weather release updates

We’ve resumed the controlled release of Class B recycled water into Deep Creek.

Following our last update, flows in Deep Creek have increased, allowing us to meet the required dilution ratio between the water we discharge and creek flow.

The release of recycled water is necessary to maintain a safe storage level at the plant until we can commence our full irrigation season. We expect this to be at the end of October based on current weather forecasts and soil moisture levels.

We’re committed to minimising impacts from the release of recycled water to Deep Creek. Strict water quality testing is in place and we’ll continue publishing the results on our website every week.

We’ll also closely monitor creek flows to ensure we’re only releasing recycled water when dilution ratios are adequate.

We are committed to keeping you informed and will provide our next update when the release ends.

We’ve paused the release of Class B recycled water from the Romsey Recycled Water Plant (RWP) into Deep Creek until further notice. 

We’ve taken this precaution to ensure there are sufficient flows in Deep Creek to meet the required dilution ratio between the water we release and creek flow.

This temporary release has helped us maintain a safe storage level at our plant as we prepare for the upcoming irrigation season.

We’re closely monitoring creek flows and soil moisture levels and will share another update next week.

Greater Western Water began an emergency controlled release of Class B recycled water to Deep Creek from the Romsey Recycled Water Plant (RWP) in the week beginning 24 July 2023.

This is not a step we take lightly. Storage of treated recycled water at the plant is nearing its full capacity and, if we do not act, we risk an uncontrolled spill of recycled water into the environment. We are working hard to avoid that.

Read our full statement at Emergency controlled release from Romsey Recycled Water Plant planned.

We engaged an independent ecological specialist to check for long-term impacts of water that entered Deep Creek in late February 2023 from an irrigation dam at Romsey Recycled Water Plant. 

We have now received the independent Ecological Risk Assessment and provided the findings to EPA Victoria. We have reviewed our controls and developed an action plan to help us avoid irrigation run-off from the plant in future.

We will keep you informed as this work progresses.

We’ve now received all the independent water quality results, from samples taken in Deep Creek between 2-7 March. All results show normal levels, except for suspended solids. The suspended solids result was higher than usual because of sediment (clay particles) in the water. These clay particles present no short-term harm to the environment and would normally be present in Deep Creek after a heavy rainfall event. 

The water from the irrigation dam did increase the amount of sediment downstream of the Romsey RWP and the results show this has been reducing over time. 

We’re continuing to work with EPA Victoria and independent ecological specialists to check for any longer-term impacts of this sediment to Deep Creek. This work will take about five weeks to complete. We are committed to keeping you informed and will provide our next update when we have the results to share.

We are working with the EPA to investigate the environmental impacts of water entering Deep Creek from an irrigation dam at Romsey Recycled Water Plant.   

You can read more information in our news story.

We’re stopping the release of recycled water from the Romsey Recycled Water Plant (RWP) into Deep Creek tomorrow, Friday 23 December. 

This recent release has allowed us to maintain a safe storage level at the plant going into the rest of summer. With warmer days forecast and the farm land surrounding the RWP now starting to dry out, we expect to commence local irrigation in the coming weeks.

Final water quality test results for this release will be available on our website in early January. Based on the current weather outlook, we don’t expect another wet weather release in the coming months unless the region experiences another heavy rainfall event.

We thank the Romsey community for your understanding as we’ve worked to maintain services for you during this season of unprecedented rainfall and flooding. 

We look forward to continuing our conversations across the Macedon Ranges about the best ways to manage your local water resources into the future.

With continued wet weather and high inflows to the Romsey Recycled Water Plant (RWP), we've let EPA Victoria know we will recommence a temporary, controlled release of treated recycled water into Deep Creek from Thursday 15 December.

We monitor the plant's storage levels daily. We expect to release Class B recycled water for about 10 days based on current weather conditions and BoM forecasts. We may need to adjust the duration of the release to ensure safe operation of the plant.

The above average rainfall for this time of year means the plant's lagoons are back above a level we can safely manage through other options, including water carting to other locations. A wet weather release is our only option to prevent an uncontrolled spill of raw sewage into Deep Creek.

With rainfall forecast to ease as we move further into summer, we expect to use the recycled water for local irrigation from January.

We’re committed to minimising impacts from the release of recycled water to Deep Creek. Strict water quality monitoring is in place to protect community and environmental health.

We have advised affected downstream landowners on Deep Creek about this further release.

Sampling results and release details will be available on the results page.

Have a say on your water future

Right now, we’re looking at all the options to manage water in the Macedon Ranges well into the future. We’re working to make sure we’re prepared to have enough water when it’s dry and manage extra water when it’s wet. That includes finding the best ways to use recycled water, which is always in strong supply.

More than anything, we want to hear from you. We're hosting local drop-in sessions where you can meet our team, find out more and have your say in person. See where we’ll be next. Or share your feedback through the online community survey, which closes on Tuesday 20 December.

We will use your feedback to help shape our planning. Before we make any decisions, we’ll come back to you in early 2023 to hear if we got it right.

We have stopped releasing Class B treated recycled water from the Romsey Recycled Water Plant to Deep Creek.

With storages at Romsey Recycled Water Plant reduced to a safe operating level of 95%, we have been able to stop this release.

Wet weather releases over the last month, combined with transporting water to other locations, have brought the plant’s storages back to a safe operating level.

Independent water sampling and testing was continued until the release was stopped. These results are available below. Our regular internal recycled water monitoring program continues as normal.

Taking into account current weather conditions and forecasting by the Bureau of Meteorology, there is a high probability that further wet weather releases will be necessary this year – possibly from 10 December 2022.

While we continue to truck some water out of the plant, this will not be sufficient to keep storages below 95% if high rainfall continues to increase storage levels. Saturated soil also means recycled water will not be used for irrigation until at least January 2023. We will let you know in advance if further wet weather releases are necessary.

We’re currently engaging with customers and community across the Macedon Ranges to better understand attitudes and values towards future water management, in particular recycled water management. Your views will be vital for us to understand your priorities and concerns around recycled water management in the region.

In early December 2022, we're hosting drop-in sessions throughout the Macedon Ranges, where you can meet the team, find out more, and have your say in person. Our team will be in Romsey on Saturday 10 December at 12/107 Main St, Romsey VIC 3434 from 10am-1pm. You can also provide feedback via an online survey that is open now at: yoursay.gww/macedonrangeswaterfuture

Following heavy rainfall in October, we are continuing to temporarily release treated recycled water into Deep Creek.

Data taken from Scientific Information for Landowners (SILO), a database of Australian climate data, shows 199.8mm of rainfall in Romsey in October compared to a usual October average of 63mm. These wet weather conditions mean that storage levels at the Romsey Recycled Water Plant continue to be above safe operating levels.

As of 7 November storage levels at the plant are at 102.2%. Safe operating levels for the Romsey Recycled Water Plant is 95% - when we have reduced the amount of water in storage to this level, we will stop releasing recycled water.

We’re continuing to truck water to other locations to help manage storage levels.

We also need the ground to dry out before we can use excess recycled water in our storages to irrigate farmland around the plant. Our monitoring shows that the soil is saturated due to the significant October rainfall so we can’t apply extra water. We’re checking the suitability of the soil for irrigation each week.

Taking weather conditions and Bureau of Meteorology forecasting into account, we anticipate that the wet weather release will continue until late November. We will reassess the situation at the end of November and provide an update.

We will provide our next update when the plant returns to safe operating capacity and the wet weather release ends.

Sampling program and monitoring

The treated recycled water being released from the Romsey Recycled Water Plant into Deep Creek continues to meet Class B standard.

Independent laboratory sampling and testing will continue daily unless weather conditions make it unsafe to do so. We will continue to publish these results on our website, here.

We’re committed to minimising impacts to the environment and human health from the release of water to Deep Creek. Strict water quality monitoring processes remain in place to ensure we protect the health of the local community and environment.

Due to health and safety risks caused by yesterday’s weather conditions, our independent testers have been unable to undertake sampling at Deep Creek.

This means that you may notice missing data for 13 and 14 October 2022 when our next sampling results are published. We will resume our daily sampling program as soon as it is safe to do so. We will also continue to publish results twice weekly to our water reports page. The latest sampling results up to the 12 October 2022 have been published. 

Please note: During the current wet weather event, the recycled water from our Romsey Recycled Water Plant being discharged into Deep Creek continues to meet the Class B standard.

However, flooding, stormwater and other impacts of heavy rainfall also impact water quality in our waterways, including Deep Creek, and we recommend that people take precautions in line with EPA and SES advice.

We know that the way we manage water is vital for the health of our communities and the environment and we are committed to ensuring this controlled release has minimal impact.

We’ve now added a sampling map to our Romsey recycled water plant water quality report, so you can see the locations our independent testers are taking samples from.

Twice a week, we will be publishing the water quality results from all sampling points indicated on the map, as well as data on the volume of recycled water released into Deep Creek. You can also find these in our water quality report.

Due to extreme weather conditions forecast for the rest of this week, like many organisations in Victoria, we have been making preparations to ensure the safety of our assets, infrastructure and people. We will endeavour to continue all our activities related to the Romsey wet weather releases over the coming days unless the weather makes it unsafe to do so.

We’re continuing to release controlled amounts of treated Class B recycled water into Deep Creek, due to the sustained heavy rainfall across the Romsey and Lancefield catchment.

Independent, accredited water quality sampling and testing confirm that the recycled water leaving the Romsey Recycled Water Plant meets strict Class B regulatory guidelines determined by EPA Victoria. This water is suitable for stock drinking water, except for pigs.

This release is necessary to reduce the potential of an uncontrolled sewage spill into the environment and to protect the plant from damage.

We expect the release will continue into October under the current weather conditions, or until the plant is back to safe operating capacity.

We’ve created a Romsey recycled water plant water quality report to keep you informed about the release, including:

• details about when and how much water we’re releasing into Deep Creek
• latest water quality results
• answers to questions we’ve heard from your community.

Due to ongoing wet conditions across Romsey and Lancefield, we’re preparing to release controlled amounts of recycled water to Deep Creek.

Recent sustained heavy rainfall has led to a significant rise in water held in storage at the Romsey Recycled Water Plant.

Wet weather releases will commence on 22 September and continue until the storage returns to its normal operating capacity.

We’ve notified EPA Victoria that the temporary release of Class B recycled water is necessary and are working closely with them to monitor for any unexpected impacts on the environment and human health because of this release.

Discharging excess recycled water from storage helps to reduce any potential for uncontrolled overflows and protects the plant’s infrastructure so it can continue to provide an essential service for the local community.

We’re committed to minimising impacts to the environment and human health from the release of water to Deep Creek.

Strict water quality monitoring processes remain in place to ensure we protect the health of the local community and environment. We expect these releases will continue into October under the current weather conditions.