Melbourne Water 1248258 208683460 2008-04-28T04:04:14Z Maias 1827467 /* See also */ add link [[Image:IMG_mw.jpg|right|280px]]'''Melbourne Water''' is a government run organisation that controls much of the water system in [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]] including the city's [[reservoir]]s, [[sewerage]] and [[Drainage|drainage system]]. == Overview == Melbourne Water is wholly owned by the [[Government of Victoria|Victorian state Government]]. It manages Melbourne's water supply catchments, sewage, rivers and major drainage systems throughout the [[Port Phillip]] and [[Westernport]] region. Governance of Melbourne Water is by an independent [[Board of Directors]] in conjunction with the [[Minister (government)|Minister]] for Water. Customers include the metropolitan retail water businesses (such as [[City West Water]], [[South East Water]] and [[Yarra Valley Water]].<ref>[http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/about_us/our_customers/our_customers.asp Melbourne Water : About Us : Our Customers : Our Customers<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>), other water authorities, [[Local government|local councils]] and the land development industry. <ref>http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/library/about_us</ref> Melbourne water primarily operates under the [[Act of Parliament|Water Industry Act 1994]] and the Water Act 1989.<ref>[http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/about_us/who_we_are/who_we_are.asp Melbourne Water : About Us : Who We Are : Who We Are<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Melbourne Water was formed by the merger of [[Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works]] and a number of smaller urban water authorities in [[1991]]. The [[Victorian Water Industry Association (VicWater)]] is the peak industry association for water companies in Victoria. == Melbourne's water storage == [[Image:IMG 3132.jpg|thumb|[[Silvan Reservoir]]]] Melbourne Water manages the nine Melbourne reservoirs outlined in the table below. Total storage capacity is 1,773,000 megalitres.<ref>[http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/water/water_storages/water_storages.asp Melbourne Water : Water : Water Storages : Water Storages<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Melbourne reservoirs ! Reservoir !! Capacity (ML)!!Year completed |- ! [[Thomson Reservoir|Thomson]] |align="center" |{{Nts|1068000}} |align="center" |1983 |- ![[Cardinia Reservoir|Cardinia]] |align="center" |{{Nts|287000}} |align="center" |1973 |- ![[Upper Yarra Dam|Upper Yarra]] |align="center" |{{Nts|200000}} |align="center" |1957 |- !Sugarloaf |align="center" |{{Nts|96000}} |align="center" |1981 |- ![[Silvan Reservoir|Silvan]] |align="center" |{{Nts|40000}} |align="center" |1932 |- ![[Yan Yean Reservoir|Yan Yean]] |align="center" |{{Nts|30000}} |align="center" |1857 |- !Greenvale |align="center" |{{Nts|27000}} |align="center" |1971 |- !Maroondah |align="center" |{{Nts|22000}} |align="center" |1927 |- !O'Shannassy |align="center" |{{Nts|3000}} |align="center" |1928 |} == Water supply catchments == === Overview === 90% of Melbourne's water is sourced from uninhabited [[forests]] in the [[Yarra Ranges]]. In excess of 1,570 square kilometres is reserved for water catchment. These forests primarily consist of [[Eucalyptus regnans|Mountain Ash]]. Catchment areas have been closed to the public for over 100 years .<ref>[http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/water/water_supply_catchments/water_supply_catchments.asp Melbourne Water : Water : Water Supply Catchments : Water Supply Catchments<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> === Clearfell logging in catchment areas=== [[logging|Clearfell logging]] is permitted in these catchment areas which in turn is reducing Melbourne's water supply.<ref>[http://www.vicrainforest.org/Melbwater.php Victorian Rainforest Network<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.wilderness.org.au/campaigns/forests/victoria/central_highlands/20011018_mr/ The Wilderness Society - National water week demonstrations expose logging in Melbourne's water supply<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> It is estimated that 30 thousand megalitires of water could be saved per annum by phasing out logging. This represents 6% of Melbourne's annual usage.<ref>http://www.tcha.org.au/water.html</ref> == Major Projects == === Seawater Desalination Plant === {{main|Melbourne desalination plant}} A $(AUS)3.1 billion [[desalination]] plant is to be built in the [[Wonthaggi]] region of the [[Bass Coast Shire|Bass Coast]] by the end of [[2011]].<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/news/in-depth/in-the-eye-of-the-storm/2008/02/03/1201973733253.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2 In the eye of the storm - In Depth - theage.com.au<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The plant is to provide an additional 150 [[Litre|gigalitres]] of water each year. <ref>[http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/current_projects/water_supply/seawater_desalination_plant/seawater_desalination_plant.asp Melbourne Water : Current Projects : Water Supply : Seawater Desalination Plant : Seawater Desalination Plant<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/library/current_projects/water_supply/seawater_desalination_plant/feasibility_study/Desalination_plant_Feasibility_Study_Executive_Summary.pdf Microsoft Word - 132863.doc<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Construction of the plant is scheduled to commence in mid-2009.<ref>[http://www.ourwater.vic.gov.au/ourwater/governments_water_plan/desalination_plant Our Water, Our Future - Desalination Plant<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> This project represents the single biggest boost to Melbourne's water system since the approval of the [[Thomson River Dam|Thomson Dam]] in [[1975]]. === Northern Sewerage Project === This is a major infrastructure project that will increase the capacity of the sewerage system in Melbourne's growing northern suburbs. It will also help protect the Merri and Moonee Ponds creeks by virtually eliminating sewage overflows that can occur after heavy rain. == See also == * [[List of reservoirs and dams in Australia]] * [[Werribee Sewage Farm]] ==External links== *[http://www.ourwater.vic.gov.au/ Our Water Our Future] *[http://www.melbournewater.com.au/ Melbourne Water] *[http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/water/ Department of Sustainability & Environment] *[http://www.yarravalleywater.com.au Yarra Valley Water] *[http://www.southeastwater.com.au South East Water] *[http://www.citywestwater.com.au City West Water] *[http://www.warwickhughes.com/melwater/ Melbourne water supply issues] *[http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/dwsc_water_supply_catchprotect Department of Primary industries: Water Supply Catchment Protection] *[http://www.vicwater.org.au Victorian Water Industry Association (VicWater)] ==References== {{reflist|2}} [[Category:Organisations based in Melbourne]] [[Category:Water management authorities]]