A series of 30 degree days has announced summer’s arrival, making it the perfect time for Goulburn Valley Water to celebrate a series of community partnerships that now gives residents and visitors 24-7 access to high quality drinking water.
All 13 towns that have a drinking water supply within the Strathbogie and Mitchell shires now have Permanent Hydration Stations in a community space, delivered through the Price Plan 2023-28.
The last of the 15 stations that are now serving the region was installed in June when a partnership with Euroa Village Farmers Market and the Strathbogie Shire saw the Rotary Park at Euroa become home to the newest hydration station.
In the last year, four new stations have been installed in partnerships with councils and community groups –at the Nagambie Lakes Information Centre, Strathbogie Hall, Pyalong Recreation Reserve and Waterford Park Recreation Reserve.
Goulburn Valley Water Managing Director Dr Steve Capewell said keeping the promise of delivering a station to every town with a drinking water supply was an important part of GVW’s 2018-23 Price Plan.
“Summer months mean more people are out and about so ensuring there is access to free water in community spaces will help people stay hydrated and drink more water in warmer weather,” Dr Capewell said.
“Using these hydration stations also helps us reduce single use plastic by encouraging people to bring their own reusable bottle to fill up while they out and about. More than 373 million plastic bottles go to landfill every year across Australia, so these stations create an easy way for us to make more environmentally friendly water refill choices.”
Community groups have partnered with GVW in the establishment of several hydration stations in the South West region, Seymour’s King’s Park Reserve Committee of Management, the Violet Town Market Committee and LB Davern Reserve management committee in Wandong all contributing to have hydration stations installed in the last eight years.
The latest additions to the network of drinking fountains adds to the collection of community facilities that stretch from Euroa in the north east to Pyalong in the west and as far south as Heathcote Junction.
Strathbogie Shire Administrator Peter Stephenson said the GVW hydration stations had done a lot more than just provide residents and visitors to Strathbogie Shire with free, quality tap water.
“The benefits from these stations are vast – they are great for the environment, great for cost saving and great for health and wellbeing,” he said.
“The stations go a long way to reducing waste from plastics and we encourage people to refill their reusable water bottles at one of the many hydration stations throughout Strathbogie Shire,” Mr Stephenson said.
You can find a complete list of hydration station locations at: gvwater.vic.gov.au/community/chose-tap