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Tarago Catchment Project - Working Together to Improve Water Quality

Tarago Reservoir

Even when Melbourne Water wasn’t drawing water from Tarago Reservoir, it remained a valuable water resource for local communities.

Gippsland Water has its own treatment plant that provides water from Tarago to customers in Neerim South, Warragul, Drouin and Rokeby. Water is also shared with local irrigators (Southern Rural Water customers) and the environment via releases to Tarago River.

Good catchment management is needed to ensure local and regional customers receive high quality drinking water from Tarago Reservoir for years to come.

Melbourne Water has been working with local farmers, residents, Landcare groups, Gippsland Water, Baw Baw Shire Council and other agencies to develop a comprehensive plan to manage the Tarago Reservoir catchment and its waterways for the long-term.

The plan aims to minimise the impact of human activities in the land around Tarago Reservoir to help ensure the highest possible quality of source water for the local community and Melbourne Water customers.

The Tarago Catchment Management Plan contains a number of projects that aim to protect water quality for current and future human consumption, conserve soils in the catchment and ensure sustainable farming practices into the future.

Huge progress has been made as a result of the cooperation and goodwill of the partners involved.

Further information on the Tarago Catchment Project:

Baw Baw Shire Planning Scheme Amendment C43

As part of improving water quality in the Tarago catchment, planning scheme amendments were proposed for the townships of Neerim and Neerim Junction as well as all other land within the revised Tarago Water Supply Catchment Area.

The amendment proposed a preferred lot layout for land located at 2570 Main Neerim Rd, Neerim. A planning permit application was also lodged which proposed to subdivide part of this property.

As the planning authority, Baw Baw Shire prepared this amendment at the request of Melbourne Water.

Following an independent panel hearing in March 2008, the Baw Baw Shire Council has adopted the panel's recommendations for the C43 Amendment to the Baw Baw Shire Planning Scheme.

The amendment has now been lodged with the Department of Sustainability and Environment for a full assessment. If approved by the Planning Minister, the amendment will be gazetted.