Coliban Water’s annual report highlights asset investment
Coliban Water’s 2023-24 Annual Report has been tabled in Parliament, highlighting achievements and key milestones from the last financial year.
Managing Director Damian Wells said the last 12 months had seen the company move through the early stages of implementing a long-term program of large-scale infrastructure projects and increase its investment in capital works.
“We are now in the second year of our new five-year pricing submission,” he said.
“Our large-scale infrastructure projects will see safe and reliable drinking water, sewer and rural services continue to be delivered to current and future generations.
“In the 2022-23 financial year we spent $55 million in capital expenditure. This past financial year, that program further increased to $73 million to build and upgrade assets that will be able to stand up to the challenges of climate change and regional growth.”
Works highlighted in the report from 2023-24 included:
• A $5 million water supply upgrade which included two new raw water tanks and a connection to the South West Loddon Pipeline, which will improve raw water quality supplied to the Laanecoorie Water Treatment Plant
• A new 1.2 megalitre clear water storage at Trentham to increase the capacity and efficiency of our plant and network.
• $2 million was invested at the Pyramid Hill Water Treatment Plant to refurbish the clarifiers and filters.
• We continued to care for our hidden assets by investing $8.5 million in water and sewer main renewals and more than $1 million in sewer network cleaning and monitoring. This resulted in a record low blockage rate and started our commitment to replace ageing water and sewer mains at more than 60 sites.
In the remainder of the current five-year pricing period, Coliban Water will invest almost $500 million in capital works.
“We are guided by our renewed strategy dhelk gatjin dhelk balak (healthy water, healthy people) and know the decisions we make today are delivering value for our customers, while ensuring readiness to serve future generations,” Mr Wells said.
Coliban Water provided more than $1 million in financial support to customers, with $573,000 from the Coliban Assist program and $446,000 worth of Utility Relief Grants helping families struggling financially.
“We have supported almost 3,000 customers through our Coliban Assist program, which is designed to help save water, time and money for our customers,” Mr Wells said.
In the report, Coliban Water also celebrated the reduction of its pay gap by three per cent to 6.4 per cent in 2023. This result comes thanks to the organisation’s Gender Equity Action Plan 2021-2025.
“Our goal is to close the gender pay gap completely. We are committed to creating a culture which ensures there are no barriers to access equal resources, development and opportunities,” Mr Wells said.
Mr Wells said he was proud of what Coliban Water had been able to achieve in the past 12 months, and encouraged customers and stakeholders to read the organisation’s Annual Report.
“It is wonderful to reflect on the good work that has been achieved in the past 12 months, but we also look forward to what we will deliver for our communities in the years ahead,” he said.
The 2024 Annual Report is now available.