Yarra Valley Water is celebrating a major sustainability milestone, hitting zero operational emissions four years ahead of regulatory demands.
The Melbourne utility has recorded net zero operational emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) for the 2025–26 financial year.
The result, which will be confirmed through the organisation’s annual reporting process following final data validation and carbon offset reconciliation, positions Yarra Valley Water among the leading Victorian water utilities in emissions reduction.
The achievement aligns with the Victorian Government’s Statement of Obligations (Emission Reduction), under which the utility had set a target to report net zero operational emissions by 2025–26.
From July 1, 2025, Yarra Valley Water has sourced 100 per cent renewable electricity across its operations, significantly reducing its operational emissions.
The transition has been supported by ongoing energy efficiency improvements and operational changes across its water and wastewater services.
Remaining emissions that cannot yet be eliminated are being addressed through investment in Australian Government-accredited, high-integrity carbon offset projects.
Managing Director Natalie Foeng said the milestone reflected years of practical action to reduce emissions across the organisation’s operations.
“We are reporting net zero operational emissions for 2025–26, showing what’s possible when you focus on real, practical action to tackle emissions,” Foeng said.
“We’ve turned a clear commitment into action by improving how we operate, reducing energy use and transitioning to renewable electricity across our services.”
Yarra Valley Water said it will continue working to reduce emissions further, including its broader Scope 3 emissions, through initiatives such as electrifying its vehicle fleet and increasing renewable energy generation from solar and food waste.
Foeng said the organisation remained focused on reducing emissions before relying on offsets.
“We’ve focused on practical changes across our sites to avoid and reduce emissions, before using offsets for the small amount that remains,” she said.
“We’re continuing to take action, from transitioning to an electric vehicle fleet to producing renewable electricity through solar and food waste, and we’ll continue to be transparent about how we report emissions and how we achieve net zero.”
