Top 28 water users named

Peter Farago
The region’s biggest users of drinking water guzzled more than three billion litres last year, according to an annual report.
Shell’s Corio Refinery, the region’s largest user, consumed more than a billion litres.
Twenty eight non residential users consumed more than 50 million litres last year in the Barwon Water region, according to the authority’s annual report.
Alcoa Australia, Ford Motor Company, Godfrey Hirst, Steggles, Geelong Hospital, Barwon Prison, CSIRO’s Australian Animal Health Laboratory, abattoir MC Herd and Geelong Grammar School were on the list.
The water users consumed between 3.1 billion and more than 4.4 billion litres between them.
But a Barwon Water spokesperson said the list did not include large water users whose consumption was spread over numerous sites, including City of Greater Geelong, because State Government required site specific figures.
Barwon Water executive director Michael Malouf said non residential water use accounted for 35 per cent of overall consumption, with households making up the other 65 per cent. An average house consumed 210,000 litres of drinking water a year.
The list was broken down into differing levels of consumption but did not rank organisations on consumption.
Fourteen used between 50 and 100 megalitres a year, six consumed between 100 and 200ML and 200 and 300ML respectively, while one used up to 400ML.
But Mr Malouf applauded the 28 organisations for “impressive” efforts to save water.
Under Government regulations, all non residential users that consumed more than 10 million litres of drinking water at one site had to prepare conservation plans by December 31.
“All of the organisations listed are actively pursuing and investing heavily in water-saving measures and infrastructure to re-use water.”
Mr Malouf said Shell had made significant water savings over recent years.
“Shell has reduced its average daily fresh water consumption nearly 30 per cent during a five year period.
“It has also just completed a major water saving project that reduces its fresh water consumption 300,000 litres a day.”