New emergency support team launched to help Gippsland communities

Gippsland Water has launched a new Community Emergency Support Team to provide on-the-ground assistance during emergencies such as bushfires, floods, storms and extended power outages. 

The team will help communities access safe drinking water and receive timely advice and updates during emergency events. 

Managing director Sarah Cumming said the initiative was developed in response to customer feedback. 

“This idea came directly from our customers during the development of our 2023 - 28 Price Submission,” Ms Cumming said. 

“We heard how much our presence matters during emergencies, and we’ve delivered on that promise. It was further reinforced during the 2024 storms, when our staff supported communities in Mirboo North and Morwell.” 

The Community Emergency Support Team will work alongside emergency services and community groups to provide coordinated support and share essential information. 

“Our team will be a local point of contact for customers, helping them stay informed and supported during difficult times,” Ms Cumming said. 

“They’ll also be on hand to distribute free potable water if needed, using our new 2000-litre community water trailer.” 

Team members were recruited from across the organisation to roles including team leaders, community liaison and resources officers.  

The concept builds on Gippsland Water’s existing emergency management capabilities, which includes a dedicated state-of-the-art incident room and highly skilled Incident Management Teams.  

“This additional capacity means we can now have people on the ground supporting communities in times of emergency, while key operational staff remain focused on getting taps running and toilets flushing as quickly as possible,” Ms Cumming said. 

Customers can find emergency updates and information at gippswater.com.au/emergencies.