Water back in our lake

By Fiona Henderson
Updated November 2 2012 - 12:24pm, first published August 14 2009 - 2:46pm
TURNING THE TIDE: Ballarat Mayor Judy Verlin and Ballarat East MLA Geoff Howard turn a diffuser valve at the Swan Pool footbridge to allow 600 million litres of recycled water a year to flow into Lake Wendouree.  Picture: Andrew Kelly
TURNING THE TIDE: Ballarat Mayor Judy Verlin and Ballarat East MLA Geoff Howard turn a diffuser valve at the Swan Pool footbridge to allow 600 million litres of recycled water a year to flow into Lake Wendouree. Picture: Andrew Kelly

WATER is finally flowing into Lake Wendouree.The long-awaited $7 million Lake Wendouree Water Supply project was officially switched on yesterday.Ballarat East MLA Geoff Howard turned a diffuser valve at the lake's Swan Pool footbridge to herald the arrival of 600 million litres a year of recycled water.It will be combined with about 250 million litres of stormwater delivered annually from Paul's Wetland.It is expected to take four to five years to completely fill the 3500 megalitre lake.The project was jointly funded by the State Government, Central Highlands Water and the City of Ballarat.Mayor Judy Verlin described it as a "great day for Ballarat"."Sceptics said it wasn't going to happen, but it has happened," Cr Verlin said.She said a university study had shown the state of the lake was a barometer for Ballarat's community well-being."If the lake is empty, there's a sense of pessimism. If the lake is full, there's a sense of optimism."Cr Verlin said it was not just about aesthetics, but also about economics, with Ballarat losing $7.9 million in tourism dollars annually from the dry lake."This is not just about turning on something to feel good but about the economy of Ballarat," she said. "Ballarat can get back to being a garden city again." Mr Howard also said we could now look forward to the "next phase in Ballarat's water story"."Using stormwater and recycled water is a sustainable, sensible solution for rejuvenating the parched lake," he said."Lake Wendouree is a Ballarat icon and its refilling is a key step in repositioning the site as a national, state and regional attraction for water sports, cultural events and visitor activities."Central Highlands Water chairman John Barnes said the recycled water would be pumped from the Ballarat North Recycled Water Treatment Plant in Gillies St to Paul's Wetland in Dowling St, where it would be mixed with stormwater to reduce salinity levels before entering the lake."It has been a long time coming (but) this is the opening of a very special water reuse project for Lake Wendouree," Mr Barnes said. Ballarat City Council will hold two public sessions to provide information on the introduction of stormwater and Class A recycled water into Lake Wendouree, plus an update on the rowing course deepening project and the Lake Blitz works.The sessions will be held at Ballarat Yacht Club on August 24 at 7pm and August 25 at 2pm.Council's Lake Wendouree and gardens manager David Lewis and executive manager sustainability Ian Rossiter will attend both sessions.

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