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Melbourne: Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities

as at 30 June 2020

  • Water availability in the Melbourne region's storages increased during 2019–20.
  • Water availability is represented by the net water assets, which are the volume of water assets minus the water liabilities.

Schematic representation of the Melbourne region. Total surface water and groundwater assets at 30 June 2020 was 1,884 GL. Total water liabilities was 547 GL. Closing net water assets at 30 June 2020 was 1,337 GL, 22% more than last year.

The Statement of Water Assets and Water Liabilities is provided in the table below. The statement presents the volume of water assets, and water liabilities at the start and end of the reporting year.

 

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 2020 ML2019 ML2018 ML2017 ML2016 ML2015 ML
Water assets
Surface water 1,280,9461,030,3821,181,5901,271,5491,173,3891,357,128
Storages1,274,6501,020,978**1,169,314**1,251,925**1,163,886**1,347,250
Rivers6,2969,404**12,276**19,624**9,503**9,878
 
Groundwater 38,63838,61938,61938,61938,61938,619
Water table aquifer22,07322,05422,05422,05422,05422,054
Underlying aquifers16,56516,56516,56516,56516,56516,565
 
Urban water system 564,415470,750510,500542,413511,509513,006
Urban system storages28,61328,80928,41929,02629,82828,740
Claims: surface water*535,802441,941482,081513,387481,681484,266
Claims: groundwater*000000
 
Total water assets1,883,9991,539,751**1,730,709**1,852,581**1,723,517**1,908,753
Water liabilities
Surface water liability547,031447,899490,489524,382485,193490,207
Allocation remaining: individual users11,2295,9588,40810,9953,5125,941
Allocation remaining: urban system*535,802441,941482,081513,387481,681484,266
Commitment: inter-region000000
 
Groundwater liability000000
Allocation remaining: individual users000000
Allocation remaining: urban system*000000
 
Total water liabilities547,031447,899490,489524,382485,193490,207
Net water assets
Net surface water assets733,915582,483691,101747,167688,196866,921
Opening net surface water assets582,483691,101**747,167**688,196**866,921**949,119
Change in net surface water assets151,432(108,618)**(56,066)**58,971**(178,725)**(82,198)
Closing net surface water assets733,915582,483**691,101**747,167**688,196**866,921
 
Net groundwater assets38,63838,61938,61938,61938,61938,619
Opening net groundwater assets38,61938,61938,61938,61938,61938,619
Change in net groundwater assets1900000
Closing net groundwater assets38,63838,61938,61938,61938,61938,619
 
Net urban water assets564,415470,750510,500542,413511,509513,006
Opening net urban water assets470,750510,500542,413511,509513,006538,517
Change in net urban water assets93,665(39,750)(31,913)30,904(1,497)(25,511)
Closing net urban water assets564,415470,750510,500542,413511,509513,006
Total closing net water assets 1,336,9681,091,852**1,240,220**1,328,199**1,238,324**1,418,546
       
Total change in net water assets245,116(148,368)**(87,979)**89,875**(180,222)**(107,709)

 

* between-store claims / liabilities

** different to published volume in historical accounts (see Governance for more information)

Note: quantification approaches used to derive each item volume are provided in the Methods