Melbourne’s Water Future A fresh approach to urban water livingvictoria.vic.gov.au More rain falls on Melbourne than we use from our dams Published by the Victorian Government Authorised by the Victorian Government, Disclaimer Accessibility Deaf, hearing impaired or speech impaired Department of Environment and Primary 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne. This publication may be of assistance to you If you would like to receive this publication Call us via the National Relay Service on Industries, November 2013 but the State of Victoria and its employees do in an accessible format, such as large print 133 677 or visit www.relayservice.com.au ISBN 978-1-74326-669-4 © The State of Victoria Department of not guarantee that the publication is without or audio, please telephone 136186, or email Web download Environment and Primary Industries 2013 For more information contact the flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate [email protected] This document is also available in PDF format This publication is copyright. No part DEPI Customer Service Centre 136 186 for your particular purposes and therefore on the internet at livingvictoria.vic.gov.au may be reproduced by any process disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other except in accordance with the provisions consequence which may arise from you relying of the Copyright Act 1968. on any information in this publication. The vision for Melbourne’s Water Future An integrated and resilient water system, which is planned and managed to support liveable and sustainable communities, protect the environmental health of urban waterways and bays, provide secure water supplies efficiently, protect public health and deliver affordable essential water services. Image courtesy of Yarra Valley Water Contents Premier’s foreword 4 3 Outcomes and initiatives 31 Minister’s foreword 5 3.1 A community engaged in whole-of-water-cycle management 34 Outcomes of consultation on Melbourne’s Water Future 6 3.2 Suburbs – old and new – designed with water in mind 40 1 Executive summary 7 3.3 Sensible use of water in our homes and businesses 52 Context 8 3.4 Resilient water systems 60 The strategy 9 3.5 Improved waterways and bays 70 About this strategy 10 3.6 Reduced inefficiency and waste 74 2 Whole-of-water-cycle approach 11 3.7 Accelerated innovation and world recognition of expertise 80 2.1 Why do we need a new approach? 12 4 Implementation plan 85 2.2 What is whole-of-water-cycle management? 14 Glossary Inside back cover 2.3 An overview of Melbourne’s water system 16 2.4 Land use and water cycle planning 20 2.5 Systems analysis 22 2.6 Benefits 24 2.7 Key priority areas 26 2.8 Governance and implementation 28 Case studies Figures Kingswood managed aquifer recharge 19 1 A holistic approach 15 Guilfoyle’s Volcano Royal Botanic Gardens 25 2 Water use reduction in the drought 17 working wetlands project 3 Uncertainty and variability in water 23 Grant Street Reserve 35 use and supply Bentleigh Secondary College 38 4 Living Victoria Fund projects 2013 and 63 Melbourne’s Water Future case studies East Werribee Employment Precinct 41 5 Altona Recycled Water Project 64 Renaissance Rise, Mernda 44 Siemans and Bayswater Cricket and 45 Football Club oval Toolern Integrating stormwater harvesting 46 in new suburbs Greening Monash 47 Eynesbury clothes washing pilot trial 53 Yarra Park water recycling at MCG 55 Non-Residential Laundries Water 57 Efficiency Program Dights Falls weir replacement 61 and fishway project City of Casey Recreation and Aquatic Centre 66 Watsons Creek 68 Protecting Little Stringybark Creek 73 and Dobsons Creek South East Water creates intelligent water 75 and sewerage networks St Albans Main Integration of centralised 76 and decentralised systems Image courtesy of Melbourne Water Asia Development Bank Twinning Program 81 Chelsea Flower Show 83 Premier’s foreword I am pleased to present Melbourne’s The integrated approach to managing urban Melbourne’s Water Future is a whole-of- Water Future. water within water supply, stormwater, soil and government strategy that will be delivered Melbourne’s Water Future takes a new wastewater systems will help us to make capacity in partnership with the water sector, local approach to managing water in Victoria to for Victoria’s growing population. government, businesses, community promote better outcomes for water users and Melbourne’s Water Future will drive generational organisations and households. It is incorporated for our environment. The strategy delivers on the change in the planning and delivery of our water in Plan Melbourne, the Victorian Government’s Victorian Coalition Government’s Living Victoria services. By understanding how our water cycle vision for the city to 2050. Plan Melbourne policy and will establish Victoria as a national and works, we can make better use of our existing integrates planning and development of international leader in urban water reform. assets and make smarter decisions about our land, transport, and social and community infrastructure including water cycle services. Victorian communities want to be engaged and new investments. Over time, this will reduce involved in the planning and decision making that cost pressures, keep our parks, gardens and By working together, we will leave a stronger affects our shared water future. Melbourne’s sports fields green and improve the quality of our water system for future generations. The Victorian Water Future has been developed by the Office waterways and bays. The strategy will help us to Government looks forward to working with all of Living Victoria with substantial input from sustain growth and prosperity by increasing the parts of our community to ensure water remains the community, local governments, businesses flexibility and resilience of our water services. available and affordable, so that Victorians and the water sector industry. Throughout the The new whole-of-water-cycle-management continue to enjoy high-quality water services and consultation process there has been strong approach will be extended to our regional towns the liveability for which Victoria is renowned. support for the whole-of-water-cycle approach and cities, where local community engagement outlined in the strategy. will help decide how the strategy can be Victorians understand that resilient, high-quality used most effectively in each location to suit water services are fundamental to healthy local circumstances. The Hon Dr Denis Napthine MP communities and productive industries. Premier 4 Minister’s foreword Melbourne’s Water Future signals the start hard surfaces than we use from our dams, even on implementing the 51 initiatives outlined of a new era in water cycle planning and in drought years. By capturing this water locally in Melbourne’s Water Future, such as the management in Victoria. It is the blueprint for and using this water instead of drinking water development of materials to guide the planning changing the way we plan and manage the – for purposes such as watering our parks and that will ultimately deliver this new approach at a water cycle in cities and towns to make better gardens and flushing our toilets – we can lower local and regional scale. use of all available sources of water. costs, secure a more resilient water supply, The Living Victoria Fund is also already enhance the liveability of our neighbourhoods I would like to offer my sincere thanks to those supporting important and innovative projects to and improve environmental outcomes for our who attended forums across Melbourne, the increase our understanding and use of alternate waterways and bays. people who responded online to our surveys and water supplies. the individuals, businesses, community groups, Making greater use of alternative local water I am keen to build on the innovation of our industry associations, water corporations and sources makes good sense to householders, water corporations, local governments, private local governments who took the time to provide business water users and our farming community. sector and research institutions. I welcome and considered and insightful written submissions in The new approach will help Melbourne to be encourage the engagement and involvement response to the draft strategy. more self-sufficient. Future water restrictions, if of all our communities in whole-of-water cycle- This extensive consultation has informed this they are needed, will be less severe. We will be management and planning. I look forward to final strategy. able to avoid buying expensive drinking water working together to build a better water future for It is clear that Victorians care deeply about our from the desalination plant for longer and we will all Victorians. water resources and value the liveability and not need to build infrastructure like the north- environmental benefits that improved water cycle south pipeline which took water from productive planning and management can deliver. Victorians irrigation in northern Victoria. understand the challenges posed by our variable The new approach will drive efficiency in the climate and our growing population and welcome water sector to keep costs down. We will do this The Hon Peter Walsh MLA a new holistic approach to the water cycle and through a mix of economic and planning reforms Minister for Water water services system. and by collaboration and cooperation across Melbourne’s Water Future details a smarter government, the water sector and the community. approach to the water cycle in our urban The benefits of the new approach will not be centres. The new whole-of-water-cycle approach achieved overnight, but they will be achieved recognises that more water runs off Melbourne’s over time. Already significant work has begun Melbourne’s Water Future 5 Outcomes of consultation on Melbourne’s Water Future This strategy builds on the consultation draft of Melbourne’s Section 2 of the strategy has been streamlined, Section 3 retains the seven outcomes and and now includes: 51 initiatives identified in the consultation draft.