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Research reports

Please find below some research reports of interest that Yarra Valley Water has been involved in: 


2010
Yarra Valley Water's management of infrastructure leakage and non revenue water (presented as part of the OzWater Conference 2010) (PDF 133KB) 
Yarra Valley Water has undertaken various initiatives to reduce non-revenue water by 68% since 2005 through an active program that involves zone metering, leakage control, pressure management, customer meter replacement and burst repairs. Future strategies will target trunk services, water carters and fire services.

2009

Advancing the infrastructure selection process case study (presented as part of the National Urban Water Governance project (PDF 130KB)
The Yarra Valley Water methodology used to select the most sustainable urban water infrastructure option is presented in this case study. It includes environmental impacts, community costs and business risk.


2007

Appliance stock and usage patterns survey (PDF 819KB)

Reports the results of a survey of 850 households from within Yarra Valley Water’s service area. The survey seeks to understand water usage patterns such as frequency of use of various appliances as well as identify the types of appliance stock in residential homes. By repeating these types of surveys periodically it is possible to monitor the trends in appliance uptake. Of interest to water industry analysts, academic researchers, students and anyone wishing to better understand how water is used in the residential sector. Surveys were previously undertaken in 1999 and 2003.
 


2006

Sustainability of alternative sewerage and water servicing options - Stage 2: Backlog area at Kinglake (PDF 1.3MB)

Yarra Valley Water has about 17,000 properties that have septic tanks that have been identified as requiring a different sewerage solution.  Most are on the peri-urban fringe.  The Centre for Design at RMIT and CSIRO were engaged to identify what options we had to service these in a more environmentally sustainable way.  The study was done at a region in Kinglake West.

Energy density maps in water demand and management (PDF 1.6MB)
YVW has prepared energy density maps for its service area, showing for each distribution zone, the amount of energy required to supply a unit of water and to dispose of a unit of sewage. The results depend on the source of the zone’s water, the degree of treatment undertaken for water and sewage and the extent of pumping for conveyance. The maps will enable planning for targeted demand management and more sustainable water supply options at the local level.


2005

Sustainability of alternative water and sewerage servicing options - Stage 1: Greenfield site at Kalkallo and Principle Activity Centre at Box Hill (PDF 2.31MB)

New development offers us the opportunity to explore alternative urban water infrastructure solutions.  This project investigates if more environmentally sustainable solutions could be delivered at a typical Yarra Valley Water Greenfield or Principal Activity Centre.  The Greenfield site selected was Kalkallo and the Principal Activity centre selected was Box Hill.  The Centre for Design at RMIT and CSIRO undertook the work.
 


Evaporative air conditioner study (PDF 183KB)

This study was undertaken in conjunction with WSAA in order to better understand the magnitude of residential evaporative cooler water consumption. The study was an extension of the measurement undertaken for the 2004 Residential End Use Measurement Study on just the homes with evaporative coolers. The study investigated evaporative cooler use over a six week period in the summer of 2005.
 


2004

Residential end use measurement study (PDF 1.2MB)

This report presents the findings of a major research study undertaken to understand residential water usage at the end-use level such as showering, clothes washing, toilet, tap use and garden irrigation. A sample of 100 homes had special metering and logging equipment installed to collect high resolution data which could subsequently be analysed down to the end use level.
 


2003

Appliance stock and usage patterns survey (PDF 1.3MB)

Reports the results of a survey of 850 households from within Yarra Valley Water’s service area. The survey seeks to understand water usage patterns such as frequency of use of various appliances as well as identify the types of appliance stock in residential homes. By repeating these types of surveys periodically it is possible to monitor the trends in appliance uptake. Of interest to water industry analysts, academic researchers, students and anyone wishing to better understand how water is used in the residential sector. Surveys were previously undertaken in 1999 and 2003.
 


Lifecycle assessment and costing of rainwater tanks (PDF 608KB)

Rainwater tanks reduce the need to import water from external catchments, hence delivering environmental benefits.  But they also need to be built and in many cases use pumps to operate.  This project was commissioned to determine if the choice a rainwater tanks in an urban environment with reticulated water pipes delivered an environmental benefit?  Life cycle assessment (LCA) was used.