Goulburn-Murray Water (GMW) is urging people to responsibly dispose of their rubbish after seeing an increased amount of litter in channels and drains.
The water corporation manages approximately 10,000 kilometres of water delivery and drainage infrastructure throughout northern Victoria.
GMW Water Delivery Services general manager Warren Blyth said it was important people understood the consequences of littering in waterways.
“Leaving waste in channels and drains can cause problems for irrigators and harm the environment,” he said.
“Not only does litter affect water quality, it can also get caught in the gates and regulators in our channel network.
“The damage this causes to our assets can be costly and impacts our ability to reliably deliver water to our customers.”
GMW removes rubbish found in its channels where possible. However, GMW then drops this rubbish off at the tip, which can cost about $1000 per trailer.
“Nobody wins from rubbish being left in waterways, but it is our customers who are affected by it the most,” Mr Blyth said.
“There are a lot of ways to safely and responsibly dispose of waste, dumping it in channels is not one of them.”
The Environmental Protection Authority’s (EPA) website has information on how people can manage household waste: https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/for-community/environmental-information/household-waste
People can also report littering and pollution by calling the EPA on 1300 372 842 or visiting the EPA website: https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/report-pollution/reporting-pollution