Barwon Water - City of Greater Geelong SSOW Project

The Barwon Water - City of Greater Geelong SSOW Project is a waste diversion initiative located in the Geelong region of Victoria. The project's registered coordinates pinpoint a location approximately 5km northwest of the Geelong city centre, near the suburb of Bell Post Hill. However, the project's primary processing activity is associated with Barwon Water's Regional Renewable Organics Network (RRON), situated at the Black Rock Water Reclamation Plant in Connewarre, south of Geelong. Registered in April 2025, the project focuses on diverting eligible organic waste from landfill to be treated via advanced technologies.

This project operates under the Source Separated Organic Waste (SSOW) methodology. This method involves separating organic waste (such as food and garden organics) at the point of generation, typically households and businesses, to prevent it from entering landfill. Instead, the waste is transferred to a treatment facility where it undergoes processes like anaerobic digestion, open windrow composting, or enclosed composting. These activities significantly reduce the methane emissions that would otherwise be generated by decomposing organic matter in a landfill.

The Geelong region is characterized by a temperate climate with moderate rainfall, averaging around 520mm annually. The broader landscape sits on the Victorian Volcanic Plain, where soils are typically basaltic clays and loams, supporting a mix of urban development, grazing, and cropping land uses. A notable feature of this project is its collaborative nature; it forms part of a broader "circular economy" partnership between Barwon Water and local councils, including the City of Greater Geelong, to convert regional waste into renewable energy (biogas) and agricultural soil enhancers (biochar).