Barwon Region Water (Authority 1994-2006; Corporation 2006-present)

Full description

Barwon Region Water Corporation, trading as Barwon Water, is a Regional Urban Water Authority as defined by the Water Industry Act 1994. It was constituted by an Order-in-Council as the Geelong and District Water Board (VA 2355) to take effect from the 1 July 1984, before being officially renamed and established as a water authority in accordance with the provisions of the Water Act 1989 on 1 February 1994. Barwon Water became responsibility for all the geographical areas, functions, land, liabilities, obligations, powers, property, rights and employees necessary to administer the following districts:

• Bellarine Waterworks District
• Mount Duneed Rural District
• Geelong Drainage Area
• Winchelsea Sewerage and Waterworks Districts
• Queenscliffe Sewerage District
• Torquay Sewerage District
• Anglesea Sewerage District
• Barwon Heads Sewerage District

In 1995 the West Moorabool Water Board (VA 1432) was abolished and its property, rights, obligations and liabilities were divided between Barwon Water and the Central Highlands Water Authority (VA 5236), with Central Highlands Water retaining the board's staff. In 1996 Barwon Water took responsibility for the Forrest Waterworks District from the Otway Region Water Authority (VA 5419). The Otway Water Authority was later abolished in 1997 and all the authority's remaining property, rights, liabilities, obligations, powers and functions under the Water Act, as well as staff and resources were transferred to Barwon Water. The following districts were added to Barwon Water's purview:

• Aireys Inlet Sewerage, Urban and Waterworks Districts
• Apollo Bay Sewerage District
• Colac Rural, Urban, Waterworks and Sewerage Districts
• Lorne Urban, Waterworks and Sewerage Districts
• Otway Coast Urban and Waterworks Districts

Barwon Water's area of responsibility was further expanded in 2003 when the Otway Coast Districts were extended, and the Skenes Creek Sewerage District was declared.

Regional Urban Water Authorities

Regional Urban Water Authorities are responsible for providing water supply and sewerage services to non-metropolitan urban areas. Regional authorities work with catchment management authorities and rural water authorities to supply water to regional areas and provide sewerage treatment services.

Until 2006, authorities were overseen by the membership of the authority, which consisted of qualified people to be appointed in writing by the Minister as specified by the Water Act. Collectively, membership of each water authority was to hold qualifications or experience in the business of the authority, public finance or economics, engineering, business management, commerce, banking, environmental and water resource management, and law.

Industry Reform

Water authorities underwent a program of amalgamation and structural reform throughout the 1990s under the auspices of the Office of Water Reform (later the Water Bureau, established as a division in Department of Conservation and Natural Resources VA 3097). Water Boards and Sewerage Boards were gradually replaced with regional water authorities. These authorities also took over the water management responsibilities from Local Government. 

Under Division 2 of Part 6 of the Water Act, the Minister had the power to restructure existing water authorities, to create new water authorities, unite existing water and sewerage districts, and to abolish existing water authorities. By publication of an Order-in-Council in the Victorian Government Gazette, the Minister was able to constitute a new authority to take over the property, rights, liabilities, obligations, powers, staff, and functions under the Water Act of one or more authorities, so long as the terms and conditions were agreed between the affected authorities, local councils, and the Minister. The Minister was required to provide in writing to the authorities and local councils affected by the restructuring the reasons behind the decision, ensure that a copy of the document was placed before both Houses of Parliament, and liaise with the Minister administering the Local Government Act 1989 if a local council was involved.

The membership of the new water authority as specified by the Order could not included more than three people to be appointed by the Minister unless the functions of the Authority were solely related to waterway management. Each new authority was to be a body corporate, with a common seal, be capable of being sued and of suing under its corporate name, be capable of acquiring, holding, managing, and disposing of property in accordance with the performance of its functions, and was to be capable of efficiently performing its functions and lawfully exercising its powers.

Water Corporations

There was further water industry reform in 2006. According to amendments to the Water Act by the Water (Governance) Act 2006, all regional urban water authorities and rural water authorities became corporations to be in line with changes to governance already made to the Melbourne Water Corporation (VA 1007). Authority Members were replaced with Boards of Management and the governing functions, powers, duties, and objectives of water corporations were redefined. In 2012, former licensees of metropolitan water services also became corporations, allowing for uniform governance of water services across the state.

All water corporations are required to follow the Statement of Obligations, as issued by the responsible minister under the Water Industry Act. Statements of Obligations inform strategic goals and policy development, outline pricing submissions and procedures, responsibilities of the Board, customer communications and access to information, community engagement and education, risk management, dam safety, Blue Green Algae management and responses, water services standards and operations, and compliance management. As of 2024, the most recent statement was issued 20 December 2015. An additional Statement of Obligations for Emissions Reduction was issued 23 May 2022 giving corporations a target of net-zero reportable emissions by 2035.

In addition to the functions outlined in a Statement of Obligations, responsibilities of water corporations are outlined in Part 6, Division 2 of the Water Act. All corporations are responsible for:

• investigating, promoting and conduction research into any matter relating to their functions, powers and duties as well as educating the community about those functions
• considering Aboriginal cultural values and uses of waterways as well as general social and recreational uses
• ensure water resources are conserved and properly managed for sustainable use
• facilitating and encouraging community involvement in conservation
• integrating short and long term economic, environmental, Aboriginal cultural, social, and recreational considerations during policy development and decision making
• conserving biological diversity and ecological integrity of waterways
• immediately responding to threats of serious or irreversible environmental damage
• exercising business efficiently as possible and consistently with commercial practice.

As of 2024, the regulated entities as defined by the Water Industry Act are:

Metropolitan Water Corporations:

• Melbourne Water Corporation (VA 1007)
• Greater Western Water Corporation (VA 4247)
• South East Water Corporation (VA 4248)
• Yarra Valley Water Corporation (VA 4106)

Regional Urban Water Authorities:

• Barwon Region Water Corporation (VA 3756)
• Central Gippsland Region Water Corporation (VA 4094)
• Central Highlands Region Water Corporation (VA 4236)
• Coliban Region Water Corporation (VA 3996)
• East Gippsland Region Water Corporation (VA 4237)
• Goulburn Valley Region Water Corporation (VA 4243)
• Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water Corporation (VA 4952)
• Lower Murray Urban and Rural Water Corporation (VA 5397)
• North East Region Water Corporation (VA 4240)
• South Gippsland Region Water Corporation (VA 4239)
• Wannon Region Water Corporation (VA 4944)
• Westernport Region Water Corporation (VA 4238)

Rural Water Authorities:

• Gippsland and Southern Rural Water Corporation (VA 3751)
• Goulburn-Murray Rural Water Corporation (VA 3757)
• Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water Corporation (VA 4952)
• Lower Murray Urban and Rural Water Corporation (VA 5397)