GWMWater takes pride in maintaining good relationships with the regional community and in our record as a good corporate citizen. We are committed to continuing to develop and implement policies and activities that will build and foster these close relationships, as reflected in our Vision, Mission and Values statements.
In November 2019, GWMWater adopted a Communications and Engagement Strategy 2019-2024. It is founded on the recognition that GWMWater’s communications and engagement is at an important point in time, when it must balance the needs of its customers and stakeholders, who more than ever, have varied expectations in the way they prefer to be engaged and provided information.
We take a structured and planned approach to community engagement using the IAP2 Model of Engagement.
Read our Customer Relations Policy for more information.
Customer and Stakeholder Workshops
We host two Customer and Stakeholder Workshops each year to engage a broad range of stakeholders in the Grampians, Wimmera and Mallee about issues affecting our work and our future direction. All are welcome.
Customer Committees
One of the most important ways that we communicate with our customers is through our network of customer committee members. These committees draw membership from a variety of rural and urban water users, municipalities and environmental interests.
Committees meet regularly and provide advice to us on matters that relate to policy, customer service, customer relation issues and operation of our system. They're also a barometer of community standards and expectations. Read our Stakeholder Committees or Working Groups Policy for more information.
We have numerous customer committees operating, including:
Irrigation Diverters Committee
As a result of the sale of the Wimmera Irrigation entitlement to the Commonwealth Government, the GWMWater Board has formally wound up the Wimmera Irrigators and Diverters Consultative Committee.
A new Irrigation Diverters Committee has been established to provide diverters with a forum to be involved in GWMWater’s decision making processes.
Regional Recreation Water Users Group
The first meeting of the Regional Recreation Water Users Group was held in June 2009. The role of the group is to provide advice to the GWMWater Board on the development of policies for recreational water distribution and management.
West Wimmera Groundwater Management Area Implementation Committee
This committee is responsible for implementation of the West Wimmera Groundwater Management Strategy. The Strategy provides direction to ensure that groundwater is managed equitably and in a way that maintains the social, environmental and economic benefits it provides.
The West Wimmera Groundwater Management Area extends from the Wimmera River to the South Australian border up to and including the Big Desert.
Saving water at home is much easier than you might think! The key to saving water is to think about what small, simple changes you can make in your daily life to use less water.
Our tips for saving water around the house
- wash fruit and veggies in the kitchen sink half filled with water instead of under a running tap
- fill up the washing machine and dishwasher with a full load so that you save water and power
- use a glass of water when brushing your teeth instead of running the tap
- keep a bottle of drinking water in the fridge to avoid running the tap when someone needs a glass of water
- install a water-efficient shower head and have shorter showers (under 3 minutes)
- install a dual flush system in your toilet or place a brick in your cistern
- check the efficiency rating on new water appliances
Some useful videos...
Mindful habits to be more water efficient:
How to change a showerhead:
How to install a flow controller on your tap:
How to change a tap washer:
How to check if you have a leak:
Leaks can be sneaky water wasters
Check your toilet for leaksMake sure you check your toilet, it's a common household leak! Check by putting six to eight drops of food dye in the cistern. Leave for 5 minutes. If colouring appears in the bowl, the cistern has a leak that should be fixed. Remember to flush the toilet to remove the food dye to avoid any possible staining.
Did you know that a dripping tap can use 200 litres of water a day? |
Complying with regional water restrictions
Make sure you are aware of and complying with Permanent Water Saving Rules or staged water restrictions.
Find out more about water restrictions in our region
Further information...
Keep track with a water audit Our Water Audit Kit is designed to help you work out how much water your household uses and where.
Smart Water Advice - helping you save water! Find out smart ways to save water in and around your home, as well as in the work place. |
A lovely garden is a great place to relax and unwind. Gardens need water, but they don't necessarily need a lot of water. If you're smart in how you plan and nurture your plants, you can have a gorgeous and drought-resistant garden to enjoy for many years to come.
Our tips for saving water in the garden
- We all love to keep our gardens green and healthy, and there's no reason you can't do this while saving water.
- Always use a leak-free trigger nozzle on your hose and remember to properly turn off the tap.
- Choose hardy/drought proof plants and lawns (perennial and creeping) if possible.
- Keep lawn watering to a minimum by encouraging deep root growth and keeping a weed-free lawn.
- Water thoroughly rather than often, to help make plants tough and tolerant of extremes.
- Fertilise lawns in late winter to encourage deep rooted grasses.
- Use mulch to ensure reduced water loss from evaporation.
- Water your plants, not the footpaths or other non-vegetative surfaces.
- Wash your car on the lawn with a bucket and sponge before a final hose off so that you end up with both a clean car and a watered lawn.
- If you have a pool or spa, use a pool cover to keep it clean and reduce water evaporation.
The lawn is the biggest user of water in the garden!
Did you know that a garden sprinkler uses about 1000 litres of water an hour? |
Water restrictions
Water conservation is an integral part of our operations at GWMWater.
Make sure you're aware of and complying with Permanent Water Saving Rules. We introduce staged water restrictions at certain times to also conserve our precious water resources.
Water restrictions in our region
Low water use gardens in our region
If you're looking for some great examples of low water use gardens in our region, there are plenty to choose from! Our very own Horsham office has a low water use garden surrounding the building.
We are also proud to have sponsored the following low water use gardens in our region:
- Federation Park - Stawell
- Woodbine Administration Centre - Warracknabeal
- Karkana Administration Centre - Horsham
- East Wimmera Health Service - Ararat
Gardening with Ted BrownLearn from the best and soak up some local expertise with our favourite gardener, Ted Brown! Together with GWMWater, Ted has prepared fact sheets to help you grow a thriving and drought-resistant garden. Download the fact sheets for great ideas to create a beautiful waterwise garden.
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Keep track with a water auditOur Or use this online water calculator to see how much water you use at your place. |
It can very surprising to learn how much water you're using in a day. Have you ever thought about how much water your shower uses? Or how much running the dishwasher every night contributes to your bill? It's good to be aware of how much water your daily activities are using - once you know you're a lot more conscious of how you can save water.
The toilet
- A dual flush cistern uses 3 litres for a half flush and 6 litres for a full flush.
- A single flush cistern uses 9 to 11 litres per flush.
The shower
- A water-efficient showerhead uses approximately 9 litres per minute.
- An older style showerhead uses approximately 19 litres per minute - that's 10 litres more!
- Having a daily 5 minute shower with an older style showerhead uses about 36,500 litres of water a year.
We recommend keeping your showers to under 3 minutes and installing a 3 star water-saving shower head.
The bath
- A bath uses between 50 to 150 litres of water per fill, depending on the water level.
Dishwashing by hand
- It takes around 15 to 18 litres of water to fill a kitchen sink.
Dishwashers
- Modern dishwashers use around 15 litres for a fast cycle and 20 litres for a normal cycle. Check your manual to find out how much your dishwasher uses.
Washing machine
- A modern front loading machine uses 50 litres on a normal cycle.
- A top loader uses 120-150 litres on a normal cycle.
- A twin tub uses approximately 70 litres of water on a normal cycle.
General use
- For handwashing, brushing teeth, cooking and household cleaning you will use around 18 litres per person per day.
- Leaving the tap running while brushing your teeth uses about 5 litres of water.
Watering the garden
- A garden sprinkler uses approximately 1000 litres of water an hour. Put a rain gauge near the sprinkler to measure the amount of water.
Dripping taps or leaking toilets
- A dripping tap can waste up to 200 litres of water a day.
Many properties in urban areas will have the option to join our sewer network. The primary requirement for a property is that it's fronted by one of our mains. If your property isn't currently fronted by a main, you may be eligible to apply to extend our network.
Homes in unsewered areas use a septic tank system that treats the wastewater on site. Your local council regulates the use of septic tanks in unsewered areas.
What to do
Step 1: Check if wastewater and sewerage services are available in your area
Use our 
Service Area Map (2.5MB) or the table below to check if our sewerage services are available in your town.
* Pressure Sewer Scheme
Step 2: Find out if your property is fronted by a main
To find out if your property is fronted by a main, use our interactive map of GWMWater assets or get in touch with us.
If your property isn't fronted by a water pipeline, you may be eligible to apply to extend our network.
Step 3: Find a licensed plumber
Only a licensed plumber can connect you to a main. This is to ensure the safety of our system and the community. You'll need to find a plumber before applying for permission to connect, as you're required to supply their details on the application form.
Step 4: Apply to connect
If you're ready to connect to our sewerage services you'll need permission from us before you begin any works.
Download an Application for Consent to Connect to the Wastewater System
Extending our network
If your property isn't fronted by one of our mains, you may be eligible to apply to extend our network. See Extending our network for more information.
Disconnections
If you would like to disconnect from our services, please call us on 1300 659 961.
Further information...
We're committed to serving our customers and have developed a charter to reflect our ongoing commitment to you and the community.
Our pricing structure is based on your wastewater and sewerage service availability.
GWMWater provides Guaranteed Service Levels for urban customers. You maybe eligible to receive a rebate on your bill if our services don't meet the required performance standards.
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