Sustainability Report 2006/07New waterways charge
Melbourne Water has introduced a new waterways and drainage charge. The charge will be applied to about 170,000 properties in our extended waterways and drainage operating areas, and replaces the drainage rate that applied to 1.5 million properties in other parts of the Port Phillip and Westernport region. The new charge provides funds to support river health, stormwater management and water sensitive urban design, urban development planning and approvals, flood protection, and drainage maintenance and improvements.
In June, the Essential Services Commission approved the charge, which comes into effect from July 2008 and is collected for Melbourne Water by the retail water businesses and other water authorities.