Greater Western Water (GWW) has announced that its recycled water plant in Melton, western Melbourne, will become the first facility in Victoria to supply a data centre with recycled water, marking a significant step in how the state's growing digital infrastructure manages its water demand.
Under the agreement, the Melton Recycled Water Plant (RWP) at Mt Cottrell will serve Amazon Web Services' (AWS) upcoming data centre, providing recycled water for cooling from the day operations begin. The deal follows the release of Victoria's Industry Water Connection Guide, a framework developed to help large commercial and industrial users navigate access to water, sewerage and recycled water services through their local urban water corporation.
GWW Managing Director Cameron FitzGerald highlighted the broader significance of the arrangement: "Planning for the water needs of data centres is part of Greater Western Water's responsibility to deliver reliable, affordable water services for its customers now and into the future, especially as the region grows and the climate dries."
AWS Head of Infrastructure and Energy Policy for Australia and New Zealand, Matt O'Rourke, said the collaboration would have tangible benefits for local communities. "Working closely with Greater Western Water to deliver recycled water to our new data centre in Western Melbourne will help preserve millions of litres of drinking water annually for local communities," he said.
The announcement comes as GWW prepares to launch the second phase of upgrades at the Melton plant. Construction contractor Guidera O'Connor is set to begin a AUD 70 million expansion next year, substantially increasing the facility's capacity and improving recycled water quality to support one of Australia's fastest-growing regions.
O'Rourke added that AWS aims to return more water to communities and the environment than it consumes by 2030, and that the company will continue working with GWW on water replenishment initiatives beyond this initial connection.
