17 October 2025
Goulburn Valley Water’s first Water Only School, Merrigum Primary, has marked 10 years of involvement in the program by re-creating a photograph that featured on the front page of the Shepparton News way back in 2015.
Merrigum Primary School is now among nine primary schools, 56 kindergartens, nine workplaces and 8 playgroups registered as Water Only across the Goulburn Valley Water service region.
Water Only participants commit to prioritising the consumption of water over sugary drinks, aiming to improve student health by restricting or removing sweet beverages from lunch orders, canteens and bought-in drinks.
Ten years ago Milla Connolly, 16, and Dakota Mann, 15, were prep students at Merrigum Primary School, among a school population of just eight. They were chosen as the faces of the Water Only launch and last week returned to their former school to re-enact the photo.
Goulburn Valley Water Education Officer Kristy Elrington was at the Merrigum launch and still oversees the Water Only Program, which attracts new participants on an annual basis.
"Water Only isn’t just about what students drink - it’s about creating a culture of healthy hydration that includes teachers, parents, visitors and even the broader community. When everyone models smart choices, it reinforces the message and makes it stick,” Kristy said.
"By removing sugary drinks from staff rooms, lunch orders and workplace fridges, we’re showing that healthy habits start with leadership. Schools and workplaces have a powerful role in shaping community norms, and Water Only is a simple, effective way to do that."
As for Milla and Dakota, their families remain connected to Merrigum, with Dakota still calling the town home and Milla’s grandmother also still living in the town. Milla’s mother Kellie attended the school there were 105 students.
Merrigum has a history of partnering with Goulburn Valley Water on projects. They have been an important contributor to Dunyak Moira – the town’s community fishing ponds that were created from unused water storages at the Water Treatment Plant.
For more information about the Water Only Program visit Water Only Program | Goulburn Valley Water