Greater Western Water
Greater Western Water (GWW) proudly serves one of the fastest-growing regions in Australia. They provide drinking water, recycled water, sewerage and trade waste services to more than 550,000 residential customers and 46,000 business customers.
Leveraging our operational strengths and position in the west of Melbourne, GWW and Victoria University (VU) work together to create value and impact for the diverse communities we serve, and to protect, heal, and care for Country.
About our partnership
Over 20 years, VU and GWW have developed a strong and far-reaching partnership. In 2023, the partnership was elevated to a multi-year Major Alliance.
Working together, this valuable partnership has so far achieved:
- working groups that unite key staff from both organisations in several areas of collaboration across initiative streams such as ‘Research with Impact,’ ‘Student Employability & Staff Development’ and ‘Climate Action’
- student experience enhancements and engagement in VU learning and teaching through guest lectures, industry input into curriculum advisory and course modernisation, industry tours of treatment plants and orientation activities
- staff professional development opportunities such as through a joint staff mentoring program launched in 2024
- several active joint research projects with a focus on exploring sustainable construction methods, circular economy approaches and water treatment, including a co-funded PhD commencing in 2025
- joint student and staff volunteering engagements through planting and landcare days across the west of Melbourne in collaboration with community groups like the Friends of Kororoit Creek
- STEM and water-science activities for school students through GWW-branded interactive activities at Wyndham Tech School.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
This partnership addresses the following Sustainable Development Goals.
Benefits for students & courses
VU stories
Research with impact
Greater Western Water and VU collaborate on a number of research projects in the areas of water treatment, sustainable water-resource management and environmental sustainability. The focus of these projects is improving the quality and sustainability of water processes for Melbourne’s western urban/rural region. Research outcomes will contribute to healthier environments and resources for local communities in the future.
Our research collaborations include investigation into:
- Indigenous water management, stormwater harvesting, and community values
- sustainable and circular economy approaches to road construction
- river water sampling and habitat research
- leak and burst detection research in water distribution networks using AI
- evaluation of waste products from the water treatment process as valuable construction materials
- desalination pre-treatment for recycled water using polymeric and ceramic membranes
- energy and cost-efficient membrane distillation of industrial waste water
