Melbourne: Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities
for the year ended 30 June 2017
Water availability in the Melbourne region increased by 87,474 ML during the 2016–17 year. This is the region's first increase of water availability in three years. The change in water available in the region at the end of the year is represented by the change in net water assets.
The Statement of Changes in Water Assets and Water Liabilities is provided in the table below. The statement presents the changes in water assets and water liabilities that occurred during the year, including accrual transactions (e.g. allocations and forfeitures) and actual water flows, both natural and engineered.
| 2017 ML | 2016 ML | |
|---|---|---|
| Water asset increases | ||
| Surface water increases | 2,191,768 | 1,091,830 |
| Precipitation | 60,576 | 42,410 |
| Runoff | 1,806,253 | 916,345 |
| Point return: irrigation | 61 | 82 |
| Flood return | 90,424 | – |
| Claims: inter-region | 188,238 | 132,993 |
| Claims: desalinated water | 46,216 | 0 |
| Groundwater increases | 231,201 | 233,121 |
| Inter-region inflow | 0 | 0 |
| Inter-region coastal inflow | 28,713 | 28,394 |
| Recharge: landscape | 202,488 | 192,457 |
| Other groundwater increases | 0 | 12,270 |
| Urban water system increases | 377,859 | 351,066 |
| Wastewater collected | 377,859 | 350,688 |
| Delivery: inter-region | – | 378 |
| Other increases | 0 | 0 |
| Total water asset increases | 2,800,828 | 1,676,017 |
| Water liability decreases | ||
| Surface water liability decreases | 3,423 | 961 |
| Adjustment and forfeiture: individual users | 1,990 | 600 |
| Adjustment and forfeiture: inter-region | 1,433 | 361 |
| Groundwater liability decreases | 37,619 | 45,864 |
| Adjustment and forfeiture: individual users | 37,619 | 45,864 |
| Total water liability decreases | 41,042 | 46,825 |
| Water asset decreases | ||
| Surface water decreases | 1,453,516 | 827,955 |
| Evaporation | 65,142 | 58,034 |
| Outflow | 1,200,655 | 696,897 |
| Overbank flow | 137,399 | – |
| Diversion: statutory rights | – | – |
| Non-allocated diversion: individual users | 7,325 | 14,670 |
| Claims: inter-region | 42,995 | 58,354 |
| Claims: desalinated water | 0 | 0 |
| Groundwater decreases | 165,506 | 124,561 |
| Inter-region outflow | 0 | 0 |
| Inter-region coastal outflow | 134,657 | 124,561 |
| Discharge: landscape | – | – |
| Extraction: statutory rights | – | – |
| Non-allocated extraction: individual users | – | – |
| Other groundwater decreases | 30,849 | 0 |
| Urban water system decreases | 758,790 | 739,864 |
| Delivery: urban users | 386,197 | 390,311 |
| Delivery: irrigation | 8,970 | 11,868 |
| Discharge: sea | 301,846 | 267,248 |
| Discharge: landscape | 190 | 27 |
| Supply system transfer: inter-region | 1,071 | 431 |
| Supply system delivery: irrigation | 756 | 1,365 |
| Other supply system decreases | 11,717 | 15,574 |
| Recycled water delivery: urban users | 30,633 | 31,492 |
| Other wastewater decreases | 17,410 | 21,548 |
| Total water asset decreases | 2,377,812 | 1,692,380 |
| Water liability increases | ||
| Surface water liability increases | 23,842 | 7,076 |
| Allocation: individual users | 18,617 | 3,175 |
| Allocation: inter-region | 5,225 | 3,901 |
| Groundwater liability increases | 57,931 | 70,467 |
| Allocation: individual users | 57,931 | 70,467 |
| Total water liability increases | 81,773 | 77,543 |
| Unaccounted-for difference | (294,811) | (129,243) |
| Change in net water assets | 87,474 | (176,324) |