To navigate a rapidly growing population and climate change impacts, Yarra Valley Water has unveiled a new Asset Services Group to manage and expand its extensive water and sewerage network.
Yarra Valley Water’s General Manager Asset Services, Bridie Fennessy, is spearheading the new Group and oversees engineering services to ensure safe and reliable water services now and into the future.
“We’re closely aligning the full life cycle of our asset management from early planning and design through to build, operations and ongoing maintenance. The outcome focused team are responding to Melbourne’s rapid growth and climate change, with an expanded and increasingly climate resilient water supply and sewerage network,” Ms Fennessy said.
“We’re proud of our assets and the services we deliver for homes and businesses across a 4000km2 area. We’re also keenly aware of our responsibility to protect cultural heritage and enhance biodiversity, and the team will continue to develop a care for Country approach as we deliver our essential services.”
Yarra Valley Water Managing Director, Pat McCafferty, said the move builds on three decades of successfully delivering growth projects and supply essential services for more than two million Melburnians.
“We’ve just marked 30 years of service as Melbourne’s largest retail water corporation, and this evolution marks another important milestone in Yarra Valley Water’s journey,” Mr McCafferty said.
“Bringing engineers, scientists and operators together in one operational group ensures we can continue to meet customers’ needs for the next 30 years and deliver what matters for community and the environment.”
The Asset Services Group now integrates functions that plan, design, build, operate and maintain assets. Ms Fennessy will be supported by three Deputy General Managers and shared service divisions:
- Bri George (Asset Lifecycle Planning): a leader in strategic asset management, growth planning, and organisational transformation, Ms George is committed to delivering sustainable outcomes for customers and the environment.
- Simon Willis (Asset Delivery and Care): Mr Willis’ expertise in capital delivery and operational excellence, paired with his dedication to community outcomes, will shape delivery and care initiatives.
- Kristen Knight (Asset Operations and Response): with nearly two decades at Yarra Valley Water, Ms Knight brings a deep understanding of operations and a passion for delivering essential services and building strong, inclusive teams.
Yarra Valley Water is investing more than $2.6 billion as part of its 2023–28 five-year plan approved by the Essential Services Commission, to provide essential water and sewerage services for a growing Melbourne. It aims to develop infrastructure to enhance network resilience, meet customer service obligations and meet environmental performance standards.
The move is consistent with the Victorian Government’s Plan Melbourne 2017–50 Strategy1, which aims to integrate urban development and water cycle management to support a resilient and liveable city by:
- Reducing pressure on water supplies by making the best use of all water sources
- Improving alignment between urban water management and planning by adopting an integrated water management approach
- Protecting water, drainage and sewerage assets
January 2025 marked 30 years of Yarra Valley Water operations and it now services two million Melburnians in the northern and eastern suburbs. Melbourne’s overall population has increased from 3.3 million people in 1995 when Yarra Valley Water first began operating to 5.4 million now. It is expected to reach more than eight million by 2050.2
1 Plan Melbourne 2017–50
2 Victorian Government Department of Planning and MacroTrends Global Metrics
