Melbourne
Water resources and systems

Introduction

The following set of notes provides water accounting statements for each of the water stores and systems within the Melbourne region during the 2013–14 year. Information on all water flows to and from each water store and system is presented in this note, including between-store flows and transfers that are not presented in the consolidated water accounting statements (which are shown in italics).

For more information about the region, please refer to the General description section of the 'Contextual information'. For more information on between-store flows and transfers that occur in the region, please refer to the Supporting information note.

 

Surface water

 
Table 1  Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities as at 30 June 2014 for the surface water store 
Water assets2014
(ML)		2013
(ML)
Surface water  
Storages581,952582,979
Unregulated river––
Regulated river– –
Inter-region claim on water 815,917794,979
Claim on desalinated water0
0
Total surface water assets1,397,869
1,377,958
   
Water liabilities  
Surface water liability  
Surface water allocation remaining4,834
0
Surface water allocation remaining – urban water system495,189
495,189
Inter-region commitment on surface water 00
Total surface water liabilities500,023495,189
   
Opening net water assets 882,769791,224
Change in net water assets15,077
91,545
Closing net water assets897,846
882,769




Table 2  Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities for the year ended 30 June 2014 for the surface water store
Water asset increases2014
(ML)		2013
(ML)
Surface water increases  
Precipitation on surface water 39,79635,591
Groundwater discharge ––
Runoff to surface water 1,768,1541,903,420
Point return from irrigation scheme 6163
Discharge from urban water system 29,31826,243
Direct discharge by user ––
Increase of inter-region surface water claim on water 217,587188,068
Increase of surface water claim on desalinated water 00
Total surface water increases 2,054,9162,153,385
   
Water liability decreases  
Surface water liability decreases  
Adjustment and forfeiture of surface water allocation 1,8677,229
Adjustment and forfeiture of surface water allocation – urban water system84,17253,052
Adjustment and forfeiture of inter-region commitment on surface water 3650
Total surface water liability decreases 86,40460,281
   
Water asset decreases  
Surface water decreases  
Evaporation from surface water 44,13247,133
River outflow from the region 1,274,0411,377,155
Groundwater recharge
 ––
Surface water diversions – other statutory rights ––
Entitled diversion on non-allocated surface water to users 13,68213,509
Decrease of inter-region surface water claim on water 62,56560,064
Decrease of surface water claim on desalinated water 00
Total surface water decreases 1,394,4201,497,861
   
Water liability increases  
Surface water liability increases  
Surface water allocation announcements 16,54518,302
Surface water allocation announcements – urban water system 499,506368,435
Increase of inter-region commitment on surface water 3,8913,231
Total surface water liability increases 519,942389,968
   
Balancing item – surface water 211,881234,292
   
Change in net water assets 15,07791,545


 
Table 3 Statement of Water Flows for the surface water store
Water inflows2014
(ML)		2013
(ML)
Surface water inflows  
Precipitation on surface water39,79635,591
Groundwater discharge––
Runoff to surface water1.768,1541,903,420
Point return from irrigation scheme6163
Discharge from urban water system29,31826,243
Direct discharge by user––
Delivery of water under inter-region agreement to surface water134,08426,237
Delivery of claimed desalinated water to surface water00
Total surface water inflows1,971,4131,991,554
   
Water outflows  
Surface water outflows  
Evaporation from surface water44,13247,133
River outflow from the region1.274,0411,377,155
Groundwater recharge––
Surface water diversions – other statutory rights––
Entitled diversion on non-allocated surface water to users13,68213,509
Entitled diversion of allocated surface water to users9,84411,073
Entitled diversion of allocated surface water to urban water system415,334408,812
Surface water transfer under inter-region commitment3,5263,231
Total surface water outflows1,760,5591,860,913
   
Balancing item – surface water211,881234,292
   
Opening water storage582,979686,630
Change in water storage(1,027)(103,651)
Closing water storage581,952582,979
 
 
 
 

Groundwater

 

Table 4  Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities as at 30 June 2014 for the groundwater store
Water assets2014
(ML)		2013
(ML)
Groundwater  
Water table aquifer22,05422,054
Underlying aquifers16,56516,565
Total groundwater assets38,61938,619
   
Water liabilities  
Groundwater liability  
Groundwater allocation remaining00
Groundwater allocation remaining – urban water system00
Total groundwater liabilities00
   
Opening net water assets38,61938,438
Change in net water assets0181
Closing net water assets38,61938,619

 

 

Table 5  Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities for the year ended 30 June 2014 for the groundwater store
Water asset increases2014
(ML)		2013
(ML)
Groundwater increases  
Groundwater inflow from outside region00
Groundwater inflow from outside region at coast30,50431,076
Recharge from landscape338,319382,674
Recharge from surface water––
Leakage from urban water system32,26231,529
Total groundwater increases401,085445,279
   
Water liability decreases  
Groundwater liability decreases  
Adjustment and forfeiture of groundwater allocation26,15626,167
Adjustment and forfeiture of groundwater allocation – urban water system311347
Total groundwater liability decreases26,46726,514
   
Water asset decreases  
Groundwater decreases  
Groundwater outflow to outside region00
Groundwater outflow to outside region at coast137,638136,022
Discharge to landscape10,07418,379
Discharge to surface water––
Groundwater extractions – other statutory rights––
Entitled extraction of non-allocated groundwater to users––
Total groundwater decreases147,712154,401
   
Water liability increases  
Groundwater liability increases  
Groundwater allocation announcements40,46841,579
Groundwater allocation announcements – urban water system413413
Total groundwater liability increases40,88141,992
   
Balancing item – groundwater238,959275,219
   
Change in net water assets0181

 

 

Table 6  Statement of Water Flows for the year ended 30 June 2014 for the groundwater store
Water inflows2014
(ML)		2013
(ML)
Groundwater inflows  
Groundwater inflow from outside region00
Groundwater inflow from outside region at coast30,50431,076
Recharge from landscape338,319382,674
Recharge from surface water––
Leakage from urban water system32,26231,529
Total groundwater inflows401,085445,279
   
Water outflows  
Groundwater outflows  
Groundwater outflow to outside region00
Groundwater outflow to outside region at coast137,638136,022
Discharge to landscape10,07418,379
Discharge to surface water––
Groundwater extractions – other statutory rights––
Entitled extraction of non-allocated groundwater to users––
Entitled extraction of allocated groundwater to users14,31215,412
Entitled extraction of allocated groundwater to urban water system10266
Total groundwater outflows162,126169,879
   
Balancing item – groundwater238,959275,219
   
Opening water storage38,61938,438
Change in water storage0181
Closing water storage38,61938,619

 

 

 

Urban water system

 

Table 7  Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities as at 30 June 2014 for the urban water system

Water assets

2014 

(ML)

2013 

(ML)

Urban water system  
Urban water supply system––
Wastewater system29,71529,132
Recycled water system––
Urban claim on surface water495,189495,189
Urban claim on groundwater00
Total urban water system assets524,904524,321
   
Opening net water assets524,321613,820
Change in net water assets583(89,499)
Closing net water assets524,904524,321


 

Table 8  Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities for the year ended 30 June 2014 for the urban water system
Water asset increases2014
(ML)		2013
(ML)
Urban water system increases  
Wastewater collected350,537340,734
Increase of urban claim on surface water499,506368,435
Increase of urban claim on groundwater413413
Other urban water system increases0161
Total urban water system increases 850,456709,743
   
Water asset decreases  
Urban water system decreases  
Evaporation from urban water system15,65717,031
Leakage to landscape4,3114,398
Leakage to groundwater32,26231,529
Delivery to urban water system users385,229381,256
Discharge from urban water system to surface water29,31826,243
Discharge from urban water system to irrigation scheme5,881
8,076
Wastewater discharge outside of region275,538268,134
Other wastewater discharge00
Transfer of water outside of region351250
Adjustment and forfeiture of urban claim on surface water84,17253,052
Adjustment and forfeiture of urban claim on groundwater311347  
Other urban water system decreases14,45211,672
Total urban water system decreases 847,482801,988
   
Balancing item – urban water system2,391(2,746)
   
Change in net water assets 583(89,499)

 

 

Table 9  Statement of Water Flows for the year ended 30 June 2014 for the urban water system
   
Water inflows2014
(ML)		2013
(ML)
Urban water system inflows  
Wastewater collected350,537340,734
Entitled diversion of allocated surface water to urban water system415,334408,812
Entitled extraction of allocated groundwater to urban water system10266
Other urban water system increases0161
Total urban water system inflows765,973749,773
   
Water outflows  
Urban water system outflows  
Evaporation from urban water system15,65717,031
Leakage to landscape4,3114,398
Leakage to groundwater32,26231,529
Delivery to urban water system users385,229381,256
Discharge from urban water system to surface water29,31826,243
Discharge from urban water system to irrigation scheme5,881
8,076
Wastewater discharge outside of region275,538268,134
Other wastewater discharge00
Transfer of water outside of region351250
Other urban water system decreases14,45211,672
Total urban water system outflows762,999748,589
   
Balancing item – urban water system2,391
(2,746)
   
Opening water storage29,13225,202
Change in water storage5833,930
Closing water storage29,71529,132