WQ6(b) Waterwatch Strategy Implementation
Melbourne Waterwatch will continue to be supported and participation levels will be maintained.
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N/A |
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No comments |
WQ6 (c) Frog Census
The Melbourne Water Frog Census will be supported, with a minimum of 30 new participants each year.
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New Commitment.
It would be useful to have the excerpt from the relevant database attached to the compliance statement. |
MF4(a) Community Education programThe River Health Communication and Education Plan will be finalized in consultation with the Advisory Committee and implemented.
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Not
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N/A |
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Noted that the delay in finalisation was due to committee change. |
MF4 (c) Community Projects
A minimum of 45 community projects relating to waterways will be supported each year.
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New Commitment.
Well exceeded target. |
MF4 (d) Cultural Heritage Strategy
Rivers and drainage-related projects will follow guidelines set out in the Cultural Heritage Strategy.
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New Commitment.
Noted that formal sign-off for Cultural Heritage Strategy planned for September 2006. |
WW7 Waterway Management Plans
Waterway plans for rivers of high social and environmental value will be prepared to meet the implementation targets in the Regional River Health Strategy, as defined in the Water Plan, and will be reviewed twice over their 15-year life.
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Evidence of progress to well exceeding 2008 target of four plans. |
NA 1 Waterway Management in the New Area
Develop and implement a program for delivery of waterway management services in our new areas in consultation with stakeholders and the community.
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New Commitment.
1. 9 projects completed, 14 projects started, additional 17 projects identified.
2. Would be useful to clarify targets for 3-year program. |
WW4(a) Streamflow Management Plan PreparationEnvironmental flow regimes will be negotiated through streamflow management plans at a rate sufficient to complete the required eight plans for submission to the Minister by December 2009.
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No comment. |
WW4(d) Environmental Flows
Melbourne Water will investigate the environmental flow requirements of 12 rivers and six estuaries in the Port Phillip and Westernport region at a sufficient rate to complete them by 2010.
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No comment. |
WW1(a) Waterway Works Approvals
Where required, all approvals of works on the beds or banks of rivers or creeks will include conditions to protect values.
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Internal audit of 38 random files revealed that one was non-compliant. |
WW1(b) Unauthorised Waterways Works
All instances of known unauthorised works affecting rivers and creeks will be vigorously pursued, and a summary of proceedings will be reported annually.
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1. Noted that the intent is to capture significant events (rather than 'all').
2. Advised steps will be taken to clarify terms of commitment. |
WW5 Waterway Works
River and creek restoration works will be delivered each year in accordance with the approved program and priorities to meet the implementation targets in the Regional River Health Strategy, as defined in the Water Plan.
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Ahead of schedule. |
DF2(a) Flood Mitigation (progress)
Annual expenditure on flood mitigation works will be sufficient to reduce the number of vulnerable properties by 500 over the 10 years to June 2015 in areas where the priority requirements are met.
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N/A |
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Use of term 'equivalent residential properties' appears arbitrary and is not included in definitions of commitment. |
DF2 (c) Flood Protection
All new development will comply with flood protection standards.Planning controls will further reduce the number of flood-prone properties by about 250 per year.
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New Commitment
Useful to clarify meaning of 'floors' and 'properties' and to provide precise numeric achievement. |
DF3 Flood Event Monitoring
Initial notification and subsequent forecast information will be provided to the Bureau of Meteorology for all notifiable events on stipulated waterways.
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1. In the one instance which occurred in 2005/2006, the flood warning was given approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes before the minor flood level was reached. In this particular location, advice has been given that a lead time of 6 hours would be difficult to achieve.
2. The time actually achieved was sufficient for appropriate safety measures to be put into place and these were in fact undertaken prior to the flood event (the road was closed).
3. It is suggested that the compliance measure be re-drafted to reflect local conditions for each catchment and to define 'timely manner' in terms of the time being sufficient for appropriate measures for that location to be put into place. |
DF1 Asset Management
There will be no instances of asset structural failure that result in significant flooding, damage, disruption or personal injury.
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Clear presentation |
NA2 Drainage and Flood Management in the New Area
Develop and implement a program for delivery of drainage and flood protection services in our new areas in consultation with stakeholders and the community.
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New Commitment.
No comments. |
WQ7 Capacity Building
Melbourne Water will build the capacity of industry and councils to deliver best practice environmental management of stormwater through a program of initiatives, and will report progress annually.
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No comments |
WQ8 Stormwater Management Plans - Implementation
Melbourne Water will implement the actions ascribed to it in Stormwater Management Plans in priority order.
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No comments |
WQ4 Water Quality Improvement FacilitiesI
nfrastructure will be constructed in accordance with the proposed capital works program to reduce pollutant loads in urban stormwater run-off, including a reduction in average annual nitrogen loads of 100 tonnes by 2010.
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No comments |
WQ10 Water Quality Improvement Plan
Develop a water quality improvement plan for the Port Phillip and Westernport region by 2008.
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New Commitment.
No comments |
WQ11 Lower Yarra Stormwater
Implement a stormwater quality action plan for the Lower Yarra according to the Lower Yarra Stormwater Action Plan program.
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New Commitment.
Audited against Table on page 8 of Yarra Project Plan for 2006. The one instance of non-completion was due to delay in Council works outside of Melbourne Water control. |
MF2(a) Property Development Controls
Response times will be achieved:
- Statutory referrals (all in the specified 21 or 28 days)
- Non-works offers (all in 28 days)
- Works offers (all in 60 days)
- Third party works approvals (95% in 28 days)
- Flood levels (97.5% in 10 days)
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1. One instance of an offer of agreement for a non-works offer was overlooked.
2. It is noted that steps have been taken to minimise the risk of a recurrence. |
DF4 (a) Property Information Statements
All future flood-related property encumbrance updates will be completed within one month of Melbourne Water receiving notification of a change in the relevant circumstances.
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No comment |
DF4(c) Planning Scheme Updates
All councils will be provided with up-to-date flood information annually.
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The one instance of non-completion was a new Council area where Melbourne Water is awaiting further information. |
MF1(a) Greenfield Drainage Schemes
All new growth areas in development corridors will have drainage schemes in place within three years of significant subdivisional activity commencing.
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No comments |
MF1(b) Redevelopment Drainage Schemes
Redevelopment drainage schemes will be progressively prepared at a rate of 10 per year with priority given to areas where new development activity is most concentrated.
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Clear tabulation of present and future targets. |
WW6 Waterway Condition Reports
The condition of a proportion of rivers and creeks will be reassessed each year using the Index of River Condition at the rate required to cover all major rivers and creeks every five years.
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1. Information presented did not allow auditing.
2. Recognised that the present situation is complex and transitional with the (a) Urban Waterway Assessment Tool under trial prior to adoption, (b) DSE changed methodology having to be applied and (c) some data having to be published in different form to that historically collected.
3. Advice provided that clearer targets for the next period would be prepared. |
WQ5(b) Investigations to fill gaps
Investigations to fill data gaps in high value or high-risk rivers or creeks will be completed to meet the implementation target in the Regional River Health Strategy, as defined in the Water Plan.
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Use of the term 'complete' in reporting compliance should be consistent with definition in commitment. |
WQ5(a) Water Quality Data - analysis and reporting
Summary water quality monitoring results from the Melbourne Water network of monitoring sites will be published annually.
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No comments |
WQ12 Yarra Faecal Investigations
Complete a program to identify and investigate faecal hotspots in the Yarra catchment by 2008.
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New Commitment.
Have audited against relevant part of Table on Page 11 of Delivering the Yarra River Action Plan: Project Plan for 2006. |
DF5 Hydrographic Data Reporting
Melbourne Water will annually update and publish a schedule setting out the quality and availability of rainfall and streamflow data and the fees for supplying it, and will meet all external requests for data within 10 working days.
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No comment |
NA3 Monitoring in the New Area
Develop and implement a program to review monitoring and investigation programs in the new areas.
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New Commitment.
No comments |
MF3(a) Research Expenditure
A minimum of three reports will be published each year on rivers and drainage research undertaken or sponsored by Melbourne Water.
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Well met. |
MF3(b) Research Implementation
Two tangible improvements to work methods will be achieved each year as a result of research findings.
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Difficult to assess. Appeared to be possible overlap between some projects. |
MF3(c) Research Communication
A seminar involving external stakeholders will be held at least annually to communicate results and help develop priorities for further research.
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Could be useful to look at ways to increase attendance at such important meetings. |
MF5(a) Incident Response Preparation
Incident response training will be provided for all personnel involved in incident management.
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1. Information presented did not allow auditing.
2. Advised that in practice procedures were in place in ensure that suitable personnel attended incidents.
3. Advised that documentation to demonstrate such compliance would be developed. |
MF5(b) Incident Response Performance
All incidents that require a response will be managed promptly and in accordance with Melbourne Water procedures.
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Be useful to explicitly demonstrate how determinations were made of satisfactory (as well as timely) responses. |
| The following commitments have been discontinued and are not included in the 2006 Charter. |
WW2 Waterway Maintenance
The annual maintenance program will be delivered in accordance with seasonal priorities and the approved business plan.
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N/A |
Discontinued |
WW3 Stream Frontage Protection
Assistance will be provided to protect and improve 50 kilometres of waterway frontage each year.
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N/A |
Discontinued |
WW4(c) Local Management Rules
Local management rules will be prepared at a rate sufficient to complete the required six plans by December 2006.
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N/A |
Discontinued |
WW8 Diversion Complaints
A process for managing complaints from diversion customers will be agreed with the Energy and Water Ombudsman by December 2005.
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N/A |
Discontinued |
WQ5(c) WQ Data Standards.
Annual compliance checks will be performed to ensure the water quality data conform to relevant scientific standards
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N/A |
Discontinued |
WQ9 Stormwater Management Plans - Initiatives
Melbourne Water will continue to work on initiatives and improvements in managing stormwater impacts at the local level in partnership with local councils, and will report progress annually.
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N/A |
Discontinued |
MF2(b) Business Systems
Business IT systems will be maintained and upgraded to maintain or improve efficiencies and deliver improved customer services.
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N/A |
Discontinued |
MF4(b) Community Attitude Surveys
A survey of community attitudes and customer satisfaction related to Melbourne Water’s waterways and drainage activities will be undertaken every two years.
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N/A |
Discontinued |
or 
) and two were not auditable - indicated by 
. NA means Not Applicable and this means the commitment was discontinued in 2005/06. John Kowarsky and Associates audited the detailed performance records for 2005/06 and Melbourne Water has summarised the results in the table below.