Community members throughout the Broken System have gathered to continue the conversation on a study into the future of water usage in the region.
With funding from the Victorian Government, the Broken Reconfiguration Feasibility Study was established after water entitlement holders in the region expressed their concerns about the long-term sustainability of the system.
To support the study, a consultative committee made up of a dozen water users across the region was established.
In parallel to working closely with the consultative committee, a variety of engagement methods have been utilised to learn more about the views of the broader community and to hear their thoughts on options for how the system should be managed going forward.
Building on face-to-face engagement efforts last November, in recent weeks, more than 60 Goulburn-Murray Water (GMW) customers from across the Broken System attended another series of discussion sessions on the progress of the feasibility study.
These community sessions complemented direct ‘kitchen table’ conversations with 70 customers in the Broken system to learn more about their plans for the future. These activities combined with other forms of engagement has collectively resulted in representation from 60 per cent of the entitlement held in the system.
Contributions to an interactive map on the GMW webpage and 40 survey responses have also helped to build a robust understanding of the system and its users to enhance the study.
GMW Water Delivery Services general manager Warren Blyth said the feedback received from these activities had been invaluable.
“We are very grateful to everyone who has taken the time to speak with us about the future of the Broken System,” he said.
“Our conversations with the breadth of different water user types in the study footprint have provided some crucial insight into the system and the issues they are dealing with.
“One constant throughout the engagement has been that change is a necessity for the system to thrive going forth. We look forward to continuing work with customers to explore how these changes might take shape.”
Attendees have been encouraged to share what they learnt with friends and neighbours who may also be impacted by changes to the system. People are also able to continue offering their feedback through the interactive map on GMW’s YourSay webpage