Seeing value where others see waste

For him, success is about creating lasting value for communities, customers and the environment.

"I'd like to move from a 'use and dispose' mindset to recognising water as a circular, renewable resource," he says.

It's a philosophy that's shaped Warren's career and one he's helped bring to life through the Western Irrigation Network (WIN) project.

Over his career, Warren's worked on a wide range of projects. But WIN stands out because it's helping change the way people think about recycled water and the value it can provide.

"Over my 20 years in the industry I've seen the enormous value that exists in resources we once viewed as waste," he says. "In many cases the technology already exists – the biggest challenge is changing perceptions."

As Melton, Sunbury and Bacchus Marsh continue to grow, so does the amount of recycled water being produced. WIN helps put that water to good use, supplying local farms.

To make that happen, the project has connected the Melton Recycled Water Plant to the Parwan-Balliang agricultural region through 28km of recycled water pipeline, supported by three pumping stations and a 1 billion litre winter storage dam.

Farmers in the region now have access to a reliable year-round supply of recycled water, supporting irrigation across around 1,500 hectares of farmland.

The project will initially deliver around 2.4 billion litres of recycled water each year, with the potential to grow to 18 billion litres annually by 2050.

For Warren, the project’s also about making better use of a resource that's becoming more valuable every year.

"It's been a privilege to play a part in something that'll benefit customers, communities and the environment for years to come," he says.

"We know water security is becoming more important as our climate becomes less predictable," he says. "Projects like WIN show what's possible when we start seeing recycled water as a resource, not a waste product.”

Having been involved in WIN from the start, Warren has seen the project grow from an idea into a new source of water for local farmers.

Recently Warren joined farmers and the Minister for Water to celebrate the connection of all farms to the network.  After years of work, it was a chance to see the project delivering real benefits for local farmers and the community.

"Seeing recycled water being used on those farms was a proud moment," he says. "It's exciting to see something you've worked on for so long start delivering the benefits it was designed to achieve."

This year marks Warren's 20th year with GWW. Looking back, it's projects like WIN that remind him why he chose a career in water.

"There's a real sense of purpose in knowing the work I do today will keep benefiting communities well into the future.”