Greater Western Water (GWW) is a water retailer in Melbourne, Australia, providing water, recycled water supply, sewerage, and trade waste services for approximately 630,000 residential and non residential customers in Melbourne’s west and northwest.
THE CHALLENGE
GWW partnered with Optimatics to optimise solution development during the master planning phase. Their initial proposed plan to increase the compliance of the Youell Street catchment was estimated to cost approximately $9.5 million. However, during the design phase of the works, the cost increased considerably, and a review of the proposed solutions was required. GWW then engaged in a pilot program with Optimizer to analyse the capacity for growth in sub-catchments and refine the initial interventions proposed by the GWW team.
THE SOLUTION
The study evaluated flood and spill responses under various pipe blockages (25%-100%) using the 2021 population scenario, identifying critical pipes. It also analysed population growth projections for 2028, 2033, 2043, and 2072, aiming to maximise growth while minimising hydraulic penalties. Master planning included three phases: Phase 1 reduced 2023 hydraulic challenges by half with a 300K AUD investment, Phase 2 minimised these challenges with a $3M investment (68% less than the initial $9.5M plan), and Phase 3 targeted 2072 challenges with an additional $4M investment.
RESULTS
- Reduced overall estimated cost by 21% (from $9.5 million to $7.5 million).
- Reduced modelled spills to zero in the scenario of year 2072.
- Staged delivery of infrastructure enabling deferral of more than half of the capital investment.
KEY POINTS
- Identify critical pipelines and assess the impact of population growth
- Determine necessary interventions for both current and future scenarios
- Enhance solutions to provide better outcomes for customers and the community
- Ensure GWW meets its compliance responsibilities to ultimately build network resilience
