Yarra Valley Water’s biggest water tank gets a massive makeover

Yarra Valley Water’s largest water tank has undergone a major overhaul – the biggest in its 50-year life.

The huge water tank in Doncaster East holds 26.5 million litres of drinking water for the Doncaster community – enough to fill 11 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Yarra Valley Water Managing Director Pat McCafferty said the massive makeover involved pressure washing and repainting to repair corrosion damage caused by large pine trees surrounding the tank.

Mr McCafferty said special care was taken during the work to reduce disruption for neighbouring residents, including use of a robotic pressure washer to strip away old paint with minimal dust and noise.

“This tank’s a big feature in the community and it’s surrounded by residents,” he said.

“That’s why we went out of our way to ensure we planned this project to reduce the impact of construction noise and dust on our neighbours.”

Mr McCafferty said the organisation had also worked with Manningham Council to develop a sensitive and practical approach to removing the old pines surrounding the tank as they reached the end of their life.

“We’ve planted more than 350 native trees and grasses to provide important habitat for birds and insects and ensure the tank fits more harmoniously in its local environment,” he said.

Mr McCafferty said the project team’s approach was a great example of how Yarra Valley Water strived to prioritise customers, the community and environment and look at ways to sustainably use its land.