Melbourne: Water access and use
- Over 90% of the region's allocated water was for urban supply, mostly from surface water storages.
- Overall water use was 5% higher than last year reflecting the drier conditions across the region.
For further information on water rights and water use within the Melbourne region during the year scroll down this page or click on the links below:
Water rights and use
Surface water rights
Figure S11 Surface water allocations and diversions in the Melbourne region for the years ending 30 June, from 2012–2018
- Surface water allocations for individual users and the urban system decreased from the previous year reflecting the decreased surface water availability across the region.
- Actual diversions to the urban system were 5% higher than last year. This increase was influenced by the drier conditions across the region.
- Total diversions to individual users (allocated and non-allocated) were similar to last year.
Figure S12 Surface water availability (includes volumes remaining in inter–region sources) and diversions in the Melbourne region for the years ending 30 June, from 2012–2018
- The combination of allocation, carryover from the previous year, and inter-region claims for the urban system is a more accurate reflection of the region's total water availability than just water allocation.
- 1% of the total surface water available is for individual users, primarily for irrigation scheme supply (see Figure R11 in 'Region description').
- Surface water availability for the urban system decreased marginally from last year. This decrease was mainly due to the drier conditions across the region.
Groundwater rights
Figure S13 Estimated groundwater allocation for key management areas in the 2017–18 year
- 46% of the groundwater allocations were in unincorporated areas across the region.
- 54% of the allocations were in designated groundwater management areas, primarily the Koo Wee Rup water supply protection area and the Nepean groundwater management area (see Figure R8 in 'Region description').
Figure S14 Groundwater allocations and extractions in the Melbourne region for the years ending 30 June, from 2012–2018
- Allocations and extractions for both individual users and the urban water system remained relatively unchanged from last year. Urban supply in particular has changed little over the last few years.
Figure S15 Groundwater allocation to individual users for each licence purpose
- Groundwater licences for individual users primarily relate to water use for agricultural purposes.
Water market activity
| Transaction type | Number of trades | Volume (ML) |
| Surface water entitlement transactions within region | ||
| high-reliability | 12 | 198 |
| low-reliability | 10 | 102 |
| Surface water allocation transactions within region | ||
| surface water allocation trades within region and external sources | 76 | 1,798 |
| Lease (limited term transfers) of surface water entitlements | 0 | 0 |
| Surface water take and use licence transactions within region | ||
| permanent trade of surface water take and use licences | 84 | 1,269 |
| temporary trade of surface water take and use licences | 61 | 1,176 |
| Groundwater transactions within region | ||
| permanent trade of groundwater take and use licences* | 45 | 1,728 |
| temporary trade of groundwater take and use licences* | 36 | 867 |
* Excludes any trade within unincorporated areas
- Entitlement and allocation trades and lease (term transfers) of water shares, and temporary and permanent trade of take-and-use licences are allowed in the Melbourne region.
- More information about water trading activities in the Melbourne region is available in Bureau's Water Market Dashboard and the Victorian Water Register.
Cultural and environmental water
Cultural benefits
- In general, water regimes required to support cultural values are not quantitatively defined in allocation plans; however, the cultural values are considered within the environmental water provisions.
- Under the Victorian Water Act 1989 (the Water Act), traditional owner group entities have the right to take and use water for a range of needs without holding a water access licence.
- The rights include accessing water for personal, domestic, and non-commercial communal purposes such as the manufacture of traditional artefacts, hunting, fishing, gathering, and recreational, cultural and ceremonial purposes.
Environmental benefit
Environmental water management scenarios
- In the Melbourne region, environmental water is provided according to the scenarios: held environmental water, planned and partly regulated surface water, and planned and unregulated surface water.
Environmental entitlements: held environmental water
- During the 2017–18 year, the Victorian Environmental Water Holder held three environmental water entitlements: Consolidated Yarra Environmental Entitlement 2006 (revised in July 2014), Tarago and Bunyip Rivers Environmental Entitlement 2009 (revised in June 2014), and Werribee River Environmental Entitlement 2011.
- These entitlements prescribe environmental flow regimes in respective rivers including the characteristics of recommended environmental flows for the river reaches.
- In 2017–18, there were 14 separate environmental releases made by Melbourne Water to meet the region's ecological objectives: four in the Yarra River system, three in the Tarago River, three in the Maribyrnong River, and four in the Werribee River. The total volume of held environmental water delivered was approximately 29,000 ML (see below figure).
Figure S16 Delivery of held environmental water in each river system within the Melbourne region
Bulk entitlements: planned partly regulated surface water
- In the Melbourne region, bulk entitlements with the provisions for planned partly regulated surface water are: Southern Rural Water's bulk entitlement to the Maribyrnong River, Western Water's bulk entitlement to the Maribyrnong River, and Melbourne Water's bulk entitlement to the Maribyrnong, Bunyip and Tarago rivers.
- Details of compliance with the conditions specified for the entitlement during the year, in particular the passing flows, are available in a report submitted by relevant bulk entitlement holders to the Victorian Minister for Water (this information is also typically contained in the responsible holder's annual report).
- For more information on specific release and passing flow requirements for each of these entitlements, refer to the Victorian Water Register.
Bulk entitlements: planned unregulated surface water
- In the Melbourne region, bulk entitlements with the provisions for planned unregulated surface water are: Southern Rural Water's bulk entitlement to the Werribee system for irrigation, Melbourne Water's bulk entitlement to the Yarra River, and Western Water's bulk entitlements to various sources in the Maribyrnong catchment and in the Werribee system.
- Details of compliance with the conditions of the entitlement during the year, in particular the passing flows, are available in a report submitted by relevant bulk entitlement holders to the Victorian Minister for Water (this information is also typically contained in the responsible holder's annual report).
Streamflow management plans: planned unregulated surface water
- In accordance with Section 32C of the Water Act, Melbourne Water, which administers streamflow management plans, must submit to the Victorian Minister for Water a report detailing its compliance with the plan during the year.
- Compliance with maintaining environmental flows was reported for all streamflow management plans in the 2017–18 year.
- For more information, these reports can be found on the Melbourne Water website.