Yarra Valley Water is Melbourne’s largest water utility, providing essential water and sanitation services to more than 1.8 million people.

Recognising that many of its customers struggle with financial vulnerability, Yarra Valley Water aims to safeguard the health and wellbeing of the community it serves by finding ways to reduce its own costs. Its ReWaste facility diverts 33,000 tonnes of organic waste from landfill annually and converts it into renewable energy using an anaerobic digestion process.

At full capacity, ReWaste generates 25 per cent of Yarra Valley Water’s annual electricity demand. ReWaste exports excess energy – around 70 per cent of what it generates – back to the electricity grid, thereby helping to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. Reduced reliance on conventional energy sources keeps costs down, in turn relieving pressure on customer bills.

In less than a year since its construction, ReWaste has generated 650,000 kwh of electricity. This reduces Yarra Water Valley’s greenhouse gas emissions and helps the Victorian Government meet its renewable energy targets.