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2007/08 in review

Melbourne Water and our 729 employees faced another challenging and chronically dry year, which featured:

Safety failure

A serious injury to one of our valued employees was the most distressing and disappointing aspect of our performance. We did not achieve our goal of zero lost time injuries (LTIs), with two LTIs affecting our employees and four affecting our contractors.

Working smarter

Sweeping changes were introduced to the way we deliver a significantly increased capital works program, with alliance contracts established with our project partners that align values and objectives and provide commercial incentives for superior performance.

Building our water future

A $417.8 million capital works program to help secure Melbourne’s water future included the Sugarloaf Pipeline, the reconnection of Tarago Reservoir and the Eastern Treatment Plant upgrade.

Improving efficiency

A range of information technology enhancements included a capital management system to improve support and monitoring of our capital works program.

Investing in research

Invested $4 million in research and technology projects – mainly in drinking water, waterways and wetlands, treatment, marine and wastewater – to enhance scientific knowledge, reduce environmental and public health risks and improve efficiency, productivity and innovation.

Developed strategic relationships with PUB Singapore and Mekerot, Israel’s national water company, who are world leaders in membrane technology, water recycling and seawater desalination.

Cutting greenhouse gas emissions

The first of six mini hydro-electricity plants was commissioned as part of our target to achieve zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2018. We exceeded our target of a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the 2000/01 baseline.

Increasing energy needs

Our energy consumption climbed by 9.6% due to increased pumping requirements associated with managing drought conditions.

Changing our culture

A second analysis of Melbourne Water’s culture found significant improvement in constructive behaviour in our workplace.

Delivering results

This year, Melbourne Water:

  • Supplied 381,097 million litres of water (7.4% less than last year) to the retail water businesses, reflecting water restrictions and conservation initiatives
  • Treated a total of 266,105 million litres of sewage at the Eastern and Western treatment plants (down 2.5% on last year)
  • In partnership with the metropolitan retailers, supplied 66,742 million litres of recycled water. This is 23.2% of the total amount of sewage treated in metropolitan Melbourne, exceeding the Government’s target of 20% by 2010. This compared with 22.5% last year
  • Protected and improved waterways, water quality and drainage infrastructure to service urban growth, investing $32 million on 200 projects
  • Delivered a net profit after tax of $67.6 million – about half that of last year. This was due to higher operating expenditure including employee and borrowing costs to support our significantly increased capital works program, depreciation and a writedown of superannuation assets due to market conditions and employee defined benefit obligations.