The Longwood water treatment plant has been offline since the fires swept through the region, with the current supply being carted in from a plant in Seymour.
Two additional water storage tanks have also been constructed, to ensure reliability of supply.
Before the fires, the region’s water supply came from the Nine-Mile Creek catchment and was treated at the Longwood plant.
Goulburn Valley Water general manager of service delivery, Daniel Flanagan, told Country News that staff were still assessing the scale of the fire’s impact.
“The Longwood fire burnt through the catchment that supplies water to the treatment plant, including the Nine-Mile Creek Reservoir,” Mr Flanagan said.
“Rainfall after the fires has resulted in sediment and other contaminants being washed into this reservoir.”
Mr Flanagan said that regular sampling was ongoing, with current results confirming that the water was not yet suitable for treatment.
“At this stage, it is unknown how long it will take to recover,” he said.
The Longwood water treatment plant itself was also damaged in the fire.
“As a result of the damage to both the catchment and the treatment plant, GVW has decided to cart water into this facility from other sites,” Mr Flanagan said
Goulburn Valley Water general manager of planning and assets Regan Flanagan said an investigation was under way that would consider all possible options to ensure future water security.
“We ask for patience as we investigate every option to come up with the most effective way of ensuring our customers receive the reliability and quality they deserve,” Ms Flanagan said.
“Water carting will continue for as long as required to maintain supply throughout the assessment period.”
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