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    Mark Williams.

Green light for Greening St Arnaud

The entire July 14, 2021 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!

A Greening St Arnaud project will provide recycled water for the town’s parks and gardens. 

Northern Grampians Shire Council, in partnership with GWMWater, has completed the project at Goldfields Reservoir. 



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The project will involve the topping up of the reservoir with recycled water during winter.

The Greening St Arnaud project started in September 2020 and is funded through an Integrated Water Management – Resilient and Liveable Cities and Towns Program, a Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning program.

The project involves expanding a recycled-water watering program from Lord Nelson Park and St Arnaud Lawn Cemetery, where it has occurred for many  years, to other green spaces.

Goldfields Reservoir in Lock Road formerly provided the town’s water supply and a was popular recreation lake.

The council reinstated it as a council-owned water storage facility to store harvested stormwater.

Up to 25 megalitres of recycled water a year from GWMWater’s wastewater treatment plant will top up the reservoir from May through to September.

The recycled water irrigating St Arnaud’s public green spaces will reduce demand on the drinking supply and reduce council operating costs.

GWMWater has supplied a site management plan for the council, endorsed by  Environmental Protection Authority, and regular monitoring  of the site to ensure the recycled-water management meets EPA guidelines.

Northern Grampians mayor Murray Emerson said the benefits of the project would be appreciated by residents and visitors alike for years to come.

“Our parks and gardens staff have a lot more options with their annual plantings and watering plans for our recreation areas and parks and this will greatly improve the tourist appeal and liveability for our townspeople,” he said.

“The council now has the capacity to water our parks and gardens throughout the summer regardless of restrictions. What a great win for the township.”

GWMWater managing director Mark Williams commended the council on its approach to securing a sustainable and secure water supply for green areas in St Arnaud.

“Recycled water has a lot of potential and provides an important resource for the Grampians, Wimmera and Mallee regions as an alternative water supply,” he said.