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 collaboration
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.
This Major Alliance encompasses research collaborations, scholarship programs, capstone projects and internship opportunities for VU students across a range of disciplines. So far, it has achieved:
- working groups that unite key staff from both organisations in several areas of collaboration
- cooperative planning that involves up to 100 staff from VU and GWW at any one time
- tree planting activities that in 2022–23 alone have contributed more than 10,000 trees to the area
- student experience, engagement and learning through guest lectures, industry tours of treatment plants and orientation activities
- 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
The partnership supports our Bachelor of Engineering (Civil Engineering) and Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) students’ final-year projects. These projects allow students to investigate real challenges faced in the water industry. By applying an industry lens, students become adept at discovering practical, useful solutions that will help succeed them in their careers.
VU stories
Research
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:
- accessing excess pressure in pipe networks to create energy
- Indigenous water management, stormwater harvesting, and community values
- desalination pre-treatment for recycled water using polymeric and ceramic membranes
- energy and cost-efficient membrane distillation of industrial waste water
- the use of solar heat in water treatment
- a computer based screening tool for locating and assessing storm water harvesting sites in urban Melbourne.
- low-energy nitrogen recovery from trade waste.
