Securing water supplies

The action encouraged residences and businesses to more efficiently use water.

The Water Smart Gardens and Homes Rebate Scheme provided incentives for households to buy water-efficient appliances and home potable substitution systems (such as connected rainwater tanks and grey water reuse).

Between 2007–11, nearly 140,000 rebates resulted in an estimated 1,758 ML per year (ongoing) of reduced demand.

Water corporations have implemented conservation and efficiency measures since the strategy started. These measures were integral to maintaining water supplies to the region during the drought. Water use per person decreased dramatically during the drought and remains below pre-drought levels.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Ongoing

Target Your Water Use is a program for regional Victoria similar to Target 155. Target Your Water Use was designed for regional urban areas, where population growth is placing increasing pressure on water storages.

Like Target 155, this program takes a longer-term view of water usage habits, while providing locals easy access to the information they need to make informed decisions about the amount of water they use. It also recognises that each regional water corporation faces a unique set of circumstances and a one-size-fits-all approach does not work.

It was reintroduced in 2016.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Date not available

Target 155 is a voluntary water-efficiency program to encourage metropolitan Melbourne householders to limit their consumption to 155 L a person a day. The program was discontinued in 2010 and reintroduced in 2016.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Ongoing

The action supported enhanced water efficiency. The ability to issue penalty infringement notices for breaching water restrictions was introduced in 2007 through the Water Act Amendment (Enforcement and Other Matters) Act 2007.

Further reform of the compliance regime was considered in the Water Bill 2014 but the government did not pursue it.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: June 2007

The action contributed to more-efficient water use in new buildings. All new homes, home renovations, additions, alterations and relocations must now comply with the 6-star standard, which among other things requires the installation of a solar hot water system or a rainwater tank for toilet flushing.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Date not available

The action contributed to more-efficient residential water use. The scheme was reviewed in 2015 and found to be effective. The scheme's website explains how it works.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Ongoing

South East Water trialled AquaTrip, a water use monitoring device, in 2014 to 2015.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Date not available

After water corporations reviewed this fund, it no longer invested in new projects and ceased operations in December 2017.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: December 2017

The action contributed to more-efficient water use. Rebates for water-efficient appliances were maintained and extended in 2010 to small businesses and non-reticulated households.

In 2015, the focus changed to vulnerable and hardship customers.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: June 2014

The action contributed to more-efficient water use in the region. Since 2006, over 550,000 showerheads across Victoria have been replaced with water-efficient models, mostly in Melbourne.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Over several years

The action contributed to more-efficient water use in the region. Ready-reckoners were developed and now appear as tips for saving water on the major water corporation websites.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Date not available

The action contributed to more-efficient water use. The Schools Water Efficiency Program started in 2006. The government allocated $3 million to fund phase 2 of the program in 2011. The government has continued the program as part of its continued water-efficiency program.

The program won a United Nations Environment Day award in 2014.

As of April 2018, the 1,031 participating schools have saved 5.2 GL of water which equates to $15.5 million in water and sewerage-related charges.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Ongoing

The action contributed to more-efficient water use in the region. The program worked with Melbourne's top 200 water users to reduce their consumption by 6 GL between 2001–02 and 2007.

The WaterMAP program built on the success of the program between 2007 and 2010–11, working with thousands of Victorian businesses to achieve 17 GL of water savings.

After a 2011 statewide review of water restrictions and permanent water-saving rules, a voluntary WaterMAP program for all non-residential customers (5 ML/year or greater water use) was introduced.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Date not available

The action helped to explore ways to maximise flexibility for water sharing across the region. Investigations were conducted into pricing and development of a water market but were not pursued.

Water for Victoria supports greater development of the south-central water grid to further support water-sharing opportunities through a trial commenced in 2017.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Ongoing

The action improved transparency regarding non-residential water users. Water corporations report on large, non-residential water users in their annual reports.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Ongoing

Recycling targets were implemented through water supply demand strategies for each water corporation. The targets were exceeded.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Date not available

The action helped to enhance the use of alternative sources of water and to improve water supply reliability. This was achieved by revising the definition of water in the Water Act 1989 and with Clause 56.07 of the Victoria Planning Provisions for new residential subdivisions.

Several dual-pipe estates were developed in Melbourne including at Dandenong, West Werribee, Epping and Sandhurst. Opportunities to include recycled water in the forward servicing strategy for new urban growth corridors are being assessed.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: October 2015

The action contributed to more-efficient water use in the region. Guidelines providing a step-by-step guide to preparing precinct structure plans were developed in 2009.

These guidelines help integrate planning of new urban areas.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: October 2009

The action contributed to greater consideration of the use of groundwater systems for water storage. The Western Region SWS set out new groundwater policies including about managed aquifer recharge.

Water corporations have undertaken managed aquifer recharge programs in the region.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Over several years

The action helped to enhance the use of recycled water and improve water supply reliability in the region. The Eastern Treatment Plant was upgraded in 2012 to treat water to a Class A standard.

The plant treats nearly half of Melbourne's sewage (330 ML a day).

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: 2012

The action helped to enhance the use of recycled water and improve water supply reliability in the region. The Eastern Water Recycling Proposal investigated piping recycled water from the Eastern Treatment Plant to the Latrobe Valley for use in power generation.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Early 2000s

The action improved transparency. Melbourne Water publishes weekly statistics about water quality at the Boags Rocks outfall in accordance with its EPA licence.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Ongoing

The action helped to enhance the use of recycled water and improve water supply reliability in the region. Melbourne Water now supplies recycled water from the Western Treatment Plant to the Werribee Park Tourism Precinct, the Werribee Irrigation District, the Werribee National Employment and Innovation Cluster and MacKillop College.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: July 2017

The feasibility of large-scale stormwater reuse was investigated, and the options identified were not feasible due to technical and environmental constraints.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: June 2007

The action maximised flexibility for water sharing across the region. The North–South Pipeline and the Melbourne to Geelong Pipeline were built.

This action was superseded by more-detailed actions in Our Water Our Future: The Next Stage of the Government's Water Plan in 2007, which fast-tracked big interconnection projects in the face of the worsening drought and the lowest three years of inflows on record.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Over several years

The action helped to build a framework to maximise flexibility for water sharing across the region. The existing governance framework for urban water authorities provides guidance and can be used to enhance governance for water markets as required. Water for Victoria includes actions to further trial water markets in the south-central part of the state, which incorporates the Central Region SWS area.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: Ongoing

The action helped to ensure reliable and safe water supply in the region. This action was superseded by more-detailed actions in Our Water Our Future: The Next Stage of the Government's Water Plan in 2007, which fast-tracked actions related to desalination in the face of the worsening drought and the lowest three years of inflows on record.

Consequently, the Victorian Desalination Project was built at Dalyston, near Wonthaggi. The plant can deliver up to 150 GL a year.

Action status (5-yearly assessment 2018): Achieved

Delivery period: 2012