In 2022, the Central Region Sustainable Water Strategy was replaced by the Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy.
The action enhanced transparency and shared responsibility among organisations. Statements of obligations for water corporations issued in 2015 refer to SWSs.
Statements for CMAs issued in 2007 refer to the preparation, but not implementation, of strategies.
Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved
Delivery period: 2015
The action contributed to more-efficient water use and to ensure reliable and safe water supply. Regional urban water corporations deliver the action through water supply demand strategies. For example, see the Barwon Water Water Supply Demand Strategy 2012 to 2062.
A WSDS for Melbourne was released in 2006 to address the action but it was not renewed in 2012. Water corporations’ statements of obligation require them to prepare an urban water strategy or the Melbourne Water System Strategy, which address continuing implementation of the action.
Water corporations must comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act 2003 and its regulations.
Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved
Delivery period: 2015
The action helps to protect and improve river health.
The VEWH was created in 2011 to manage environmental water in partnership with CMAs. Its seasonal watering plan shows the potential environmental watering that could occur during the year in each waterway system using water available under all environmental water entitlements held in Victoria.
Day-to-day, CMAs manage environmental water at the system level.
Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved
Delivery period: Ongoing
The action helped to ensure reliable and safe water supply and to protect and improve river health.
There is strong, ongoing investment in sustainable water management in Victoria. For example, between 2004–05 and 2013–14, $70.1 million was invested in environmental water planning and management and $149.8 million in waterway health.
Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved
Delivery period: Ongoing
The action improves transparency and helps to protect and improve river health.
The Third Index of Stream Condition was published in 2010. The Water Measurement Information System maintains up-to-date records of water quantity and quality.
The Victorian Environmental Flows Monitoring and Assessment Program was established in 2005 to monitor and assess ecosystem responses to environmental watering.
Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved
Delivery period: Ongoing
The action helps to manage risk and uncertainty and to protect groundwater. Groundwater is monitored through a system of statewide bores. Real-time data can be accessed online through the Water Measurement Information System.
Work continues to understand the distribution, condition and environmental values of GDEs, particularly those of high environmental value and at high risk from groundwater extraction.
Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved
Delivery period: Ongoing
The action improved transparency. The Victorian Water Accounts are published annually and available online.
Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved
Delivery period: Ongoing
The action helps to manage risk and uncertainty and reduce the risk of shortfalls.
Water corporations monitor water consumption trends and population growth impacts on water demand and report in their annual reports, plans and strategic documents.
Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved
Delivery period: Ongoing
The action helps to manage risk and uncertainty and reduce the risk of shortfalls. Melbourne Water and DEECA have resource allocation models and have procedures to maintain them.
Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved
Delivery period: Ongoing
The action helps to manage risk and uncertainty and reduce the risk of shortfalls. Stage II of the South Eastern Australian Climate initiative was completed in 2012.
In conjunction with the Bureau of Meteorology and the CSIRO, we launched the Victorian Climate Initiative in 2013. It provides guidance about climate variability, predictability and change.
The initiative builds on the work of the South Eastern Australian Climate Initiative and aims to understand how climate has changed and is likely to change in the future, and to improve understanding of our ability to predict climate at seasonal scales.
Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved
Delivery period: Ongoing
Action 2.1 of WfV sets the objective of net-zero emissions in the water sector. This is implemented through the March 2018 Statement of Obligations (Emission Reduction), and it includes monitoring and reporting targets.
Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved
Delivery period: 2018
The action helps to manage risk and uncertainty and reduce the risk of shortfalls. Demand modelling has been improved as part of developing water supply demand strategies.
Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved
Delivery period: Ongoing
The action helps to manage risk and uncertainty and reduce the risk of shortfalls.
While there was no study specifically of demand hardening, the 2011 review of water restrictions in Victoria considered the issue and recommended water corporations take an adaptive approach to demand estimation.
The 2011 Guidelines for the Development of a Water Supply Demand Strategy allowed for such an adaptive approach.
Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved
Delivery period: Ongoing
The action helps to protect and improve river health. The original FLOWS method was implemented in 2002, and Flows - a method for determining environmental water requirements in Victoria, Edition 2 was published in 2013.
The updated method drew on experience managing waterways through the Millennium Drought.
Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved
Delivery period: Ongoing
The action helps to manage risk and uncertainty and reduce the risk of shortfalls. As explained under action 5.10, Stage II of the South Eastern Australian Climate Initiative was completed in 2012.
In 2013, DELWP, the Bureau of Meteorology and the CSIRO launched the Victorian Climate Initiative.
Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved
Delivery period: Ongoing
Page last updated: 20/09/23