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The strategy will protect water supplies and the community

The role of the Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy (the strategy) is to secure the region’s long-term water supplies to protect:

  • jobs
  • farms
  • ecosystems
  • communities
  • the cultural values of Traditional Owners in the region.

The Central and Gippsland Region covers the waterways and catchments south of the Great Divide, down to the coast from the Otways to Mallacoota.

Water and waterways are essential to our liveability, sustainability and prosperity.

More than 6 million Victorians depend on the rivers, wetlands and lakes in the region for work and pleasure. As well as providing drinking water to 90% of Victorians, water in this region is vital for:

  • agriculture
  • businesses
  • industry.

It also provides critical habitat for native wildlife.

The strategy will protect the water future of the region

We need this strategy to help us prepare for the region’s water future. With future forecasts suggesting drier conditions and a growing population, the region’s water supplies will need to double in the next 50 years.

The strategy supports investment in:

  • water efficiency for homes, businesses and farms
  • increasing the region’s water supplies over the next 50 years.

Moving to manufactured water

The region will need to transition away from a reliance on river water to meet our water needs. The region needs a greater reliance on manufactured water.

Manufactured water includes:

  • fit-for-purpose recycled water
  • treated stormwater
  • desalinated water.

As the use of manufactured water increases, some river water will become available for other uses including returning water to Traditional Owners and the environment, without taking water from farmers or other water users.

Find out what the strategy means for other areas in life

Learn about how the strategy will help the regions

You can contact the SWS team at the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) if you want to learn more about the strategy.

Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy

Implementation progress report

Read about our progress delivering the strategy so far. This report shows progress to 30 June 2023.

Page last updated: 29/11/23