Environment Management System

Lower Murray Water’s Environmental Management System  (EMS) is designed to the specifications of the Standard ISO 14001 and encompasses all of the Corporation’s operations.

The EMS supports LMW’s Environmental Policy and provides the framework for employees to manage environmental risks, meet legal obligations and improve business performance.

Significant developments within the EMS include:

• An internal environmental impact assessment procedure that has been designed to simplify the legislative requirements relating to native vegetation, native title, aboriginal cultural heritage and crown land requirements
  
  

•  Implementation of an Environmental Incident Reporting Procedure and associated non-conformance/reporting forms
  
  

• Operational Controls to mitigate key environmental risks
  
  

•  A Communications Strategy to assist with implementation of the EMS across the Corporation.
  
  

•  Implementation of an internal auditing program
  

• Waste Wise certification with Sustainability Victoria
  
  

• External audit of Lower Murray Water’s bulk chemical storage facilities
  
  

• Completion of a Greenhouse and Energy review on select Northern Region sites and the subsequent development of a Greenhouse Action Plan
  
  

• Associate Member of EcoBuy

Waste Management

The waste management hierarchy is embedded within the Victorian Environment Protection Act 1970, which states that wastes should be managed in accordance with the following order of preference: avoidance, reuse, recycling, recovery of energy, treatment, containment and disposal. The Corporation uses this hierarchy to guide its management of waste.

To begin to address the intentions of waste hierarchy, Lower Murray Water undertook a waste audit in mid 2007. The purpose of the audit was to quantify the amount and types of waste being generated by the Corporation’s activities.

This information was used to build an Action Plan, which outlines a list of activities that help drive the Corporation towards improved embracement of the waste hierarchy.

In March 2007 Lower Murray Water was awarded Bronze Waste Wise accreditation, recognizing the Corporation’s efforts in reducing, reusing and recycling waste.

Achieving accreditation acknowledges the Corporation's commitment to a sustainable future and identifies it as an environmental leader.