Gippsland Water is pleased to report its newest water treatment plant has been in successful operation for over one year without incident.

The $2.6 million Erica Rawson Water Treatment Plant was commissioned in November 2006 and treats up to one million litres of water each day from local waterway, Trigger Creek.

Water for Erica and Rawson customers previously underwent a basic disinfection process with customers occasionally experiencing boil water alerts when raw water quality was poor. Gippsland Water responded by constructing the plant to provide a solution to these water quality issues.

Gippsland Water's Managing Director David Mawer said the treatment plant was a good result for the corporation and the community.

"The introduction of the Rawson and Erica Water Treatment Plant has been a 10 year journey between Gippsland Water and the residents in these townships. This facility has been performing to expectations with no incidents or surprises for the past year which is an extremely pleasing result.

"Gippsland Water is proud to have been able to deliver a water treatment solution to these communities providing customers with high quality drinking water that meets World Health Organisation drinking water guidelines, as well as the Safe Drinking Water Act," Mr Mawer said.

The plant's construction followed a long history associated with drinking water quality in Erica and Rawson dating back to the early 1990s when a water-sampling program identified that a new water treatment solution would be needed for the townships.

A number of treatment options were trialled and the corporation undertook extensive community consultation to ensure the plant met the needs of the local residents and the requirements of government regulations.

Gippsland Water invested $2.6 million in the water treatment plant, which was commissioned in November 2006 and officially opened in April 2007.

17 April 2008