Yarra Valley Water is working with businesses to reduce operating costs and improve water efficiency through the Victorian Government’s WaterSmart programme, which saved seventy million litres of water and $366,000 in bills in the last financial year.

The WaterSmart programme is funded by the Victorian Government and delivered by Victoria’s water corporations. It provides businesses with digital water monitoring, audits and practical insights to improve water use and identify leaks.

Natalie Foeng, managing director at Yarra Valley Water, said the programme played an important role in saving water.

“Melbourne’s storages have dropped by more than thirteen per cent in the past twelve months due to drier conditions, so every litre we save matters,” she said.

“WaterSmart gives businesses the tools and visibility to make practical changes that will have a lasting impact. Small adjustments can deliver big results, and it is encouraging to see so many organisations taking action.”

Ford is among one hundred and seventy businesses Yarra Valley Water has supported through the initiative.

Steve Verescuk, environmental facility compliance supervisor at Ford Australia, said WaterSmart helped the company identify water saving opportunities.

“As a business, reducing our environmental impact is important, and this programme has greatly supported that effort,” he said.

“The data loggers installed through the programme allow us to monitor our water use in real time. They have already enabled us to detect and repair a couple of leaks, saving a substantial amount of water.”

Jim Child, mayor of Yarra Ranges Council, said the council has also saved water through the programme.

“Our staff have had great success with the WaterSmart programme. It allows us to remotely monitor water use at key sites, which helps us identify leaks and issues,” he said.

“Given the increasingly hot and dry conditions associated with climate change, conserving water is more critical than ever, particularly in high-use community spaces.”

“We have had several examples where data and leak alerts from digital monitoring have helped us address leaks, saving significant amounts of water and money.”