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The Connections Project achieved 433 gigalitres (GL) of long-term water recovery from modernising the Goulburn-Murray Irrigation District (GMID). Further modernisation of Goulburn-Murray Water’s (GMW) irrigation districts is underway as part of the GMW water efficiency program (WEP).
This work will help achieve an additional 15.9 GL of long-term water recovery to support environmental flows.
Water recovery is verified through an independent audit undertaken in accordance with the Minister for Water’s Water Savings Protocol.
The audit process and the Protocol assure that water recovery is real and that water entitlements issued for the water recovery will not adversely impact on the environment and on the reliability of existing water entitlements. This is the high standard needed for the Minister for Water to issue water entitlements.
2021-2022 Independent audit of long-term water recovery
An independent audit verified that the GMW WEP recovered a cumulative total of 9.045 GL of long-term water recovery from irrigation modernisation works. This work was completed and operational by 31 August 2022.
The audit was undertaken by independent auditor Stantec (Qld) Pty Ltd.
2022-2023 Independent audit of long-term water recovery
A second independent audit verified that the Goulburn-Murray Water (GMW) Water Efficiency Project (WEP) recovered a cumulative total of 16,911.4 ML of long-term water recovery from irrigation modernisation works completed and operational from the start of the project to 31 August 2023.
From this, 8.9 GL of long-term water recovery will be transferred to the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder as water shares by the end of April 2024. This follows the transfer of 7 GL of long-term water recovery in April 2023, and will complete the cumulative transfer of 15.9 GL of water recovery to the Australian Government to meet Victoria’s obligations under the Funding Deed for the project.
The audit was undertaken by independent auditor Stantec (Qld) Pty Ltd.
A final audit of long-term water recovery from the GMW WEP for work completed and operational after 31 August 2023 will be completed by June 2024.
System and process
The auditor was satisfied that GMW had completed the works claimed in the calculations and attests that:
- GMW WEP has accurately calculated water recovery in accordance with the Water Savings Protocol.
- GMW data collection processes continue to be sufficiently robust, and inputs are as accurate as could reasonably be expected for the purpose of calculating water recovery.
Page last updated: 02/02/24