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Waterways Operating Charter

Melbourne Water is the caretaker of river health and the authority responsible for drainage, and river and floodplain management for the whole Port Phillip and Westernport region. Our key aims are to ensure that Melbourne’s natural rivers and creeks are healthy, and that our communities are provided with a safe level of flood protection.

The 2008 Waterways Operating Charter sets out Melbourne Water’s responsibilities and the works and services required to achieve 10-year goals and long-term aims. The Charter is linked to the 2008 Waterways Water Plan that summarises the outcomes, actions and expenditures over the period 2008/09 to 2012/13.

The 2008 Waterways Operating Charter has 39 commitments and each year we audit our implementation of the Charter and report on the audit outcomes.

Key to compliance status

√
 Achieved
X
 Not achieved
(√)
 Substantially achieved
NA
 Not applicable during this year
?
 Unable to be assessed
#
 No longer included in current Operating Charter

The majority of commitments were either achieved (31) or substantially achieved (5). John Kowarsky and Associates audited the detailed performance records for 2008/09 and Melbourne Water has summarised the results in the table below.

2008/09 Operating Charter performance

* Revised ** New # Removed

Commitment as set out in the 2008 Charter
99/00
00/01
01/02
02/03
03/04
04/05
05/06
06/07
07/08
08/09
 Auditor Comments 2008/09
Community and stakeholder engagement and involvement
MF4(a) Community Education program*
Goals and Actions in the Waterways Stakeholder Engagement and Communications Framework will be achieved and implemented		 √ √ √ √ ? NA (√) X √ √
  1. Actions identified at the start of the year were completed.
  2. Explicit identification of tasks for 2009/2010 is expected in August 2009.
MF4 (c) Community Projects*
Avenues for supporting community waterways management projects that support achievement of Regional River Health Strategy and Waterways Water Quality Strategy targets ,will be maintained and diversified		             √ √ √ √
  1. Clearly presented.
  2. Well exceeded target.
MF4 (d) Cultural Heritage Strategy*
Waterways Group activities will respect indigenous and European values and follow guidelines set out in the Melbourne Water Cultural Heritage Strategy		             (√) X (√) (√)
  1. Satisfactory processes in place to ensure that CEPHA Checklist is applied.
  2. Evidence of delivery of training and education in 2008/2009.
  3. The Action Plan delivered during 2008/2009 should be used to generate specific targets against which future training and education actions can be assessed.
MF4(e) Community Satisfaction**
70% of community satisfaction with waterways will be maintained and a mechanism to measure community and stakeholder satisfaction with our engagement processes will be developed and implemented		                   X
  1. Target of developing mechanism for measuring community and stakeholder satisfaction was not met.
  2. Advised that this mechanism will now be developed to be applied in an organisation-wide Stakeholder Engagement Strategy rather than only for the Waterways Group. This is considered to be a better outcome for the whole business of Melbourne Water.
Managing waterways
WW8 Waterway Management**
The Port Phillip & Westernport Regional River Health Strategy will be reviewed by 2012, in accordance with Department of Sustainability and Environment guidelines.		                   √ Program developed as required.
WW5 River Health Improvement Programs*
Five year implementation targets and regional priorities set out in the Regional River Health Strategy will be achieved 		√ 7 √ √ X √ √ (√) (√) √ Overall well on schedule.
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.		 √ √ √ X X X √ √ √ √
  1. All plans identified for relevant rivers and creeks were carried out.
  2. It is noted that the review process has been amended to reflect the "MUIP" system requiring regular and formal annual review.
MF5(a) Incident Response Preparation
Incident response training will be provided for all personnel involved in incident management. 		X √ √ √ (√) (√) ? √ √ √
  1. Scope of training now broadened to include all Waterways personnel.
  2. Refresher training to maintain currency is expected to commence in second year.
MF5(b) Incident Response Performance
All incidents that require a response will be managed promptly and in accordance with Melbourne Water procedures. 		√ √ √ √ √ √ √ (√) √ √ Clear presentation.
Managing environmental flows
WW4(d) Environmental Flows*
An environmental flows study for all major rivers and creeks will be completed by 2013		           √ √ √ √ √ Three of 13 tasks completed places this on schedule for five-year target.
WW4(a) Improving Environmental Flows*
A program to improve environmental flows in major rivers and creeks that currently do not meet agreed scientific flow objectives for a healthy river by:
  • enhancing existing environmental water reserves
  • building the capacity of water managers to meet their environmental water reserve will be developed and implemented
 √ X X X √ √ √ √ √ √
  1. Noted that the EWR Program states that an Annual Work Plan is due at end of September each year.
  2. It would be useful to have "Environmental Water Reserve" defined in the definitions and assumptions section.
WW4(e) Stream Flow Diversions**
Diversions will be managed in accordance with rules specified in stream flow management plans, local management rules or drought response plans, and to meeting the service requirements in Melbourne Water's Customer Charter for Diversion Services		                   X
  1. Did not meet service commitment set out in Customer Charter for Diversion Services.
  2. Advised that initial short-staffing in this area has now been remedied.
  3. It is accepted that targets set in the first year may need refinement based upon the experience gained.
Managing water quality
WQ13 Local Government Capacity Building**
70% of councils will improve their ability to deliver sustainable water management by 2013		                   √ 57% of the 38 Councils were supported towards a five-year target of 70%.
WQ7 Capacity Building*
10 training modules will be delivered under the Clearwater Program each year with assistance from Melbourne Water		           (√) √ (√) (√) √
  1. Over three times the target number of presentations made.
  2. Useful to report in more detail on the type of content of each presentation.
WQ14 Rain Gardens**
10000 rain gardens will be built by the community by 2013		                   (√)
  1. Difficult to audit due to terms of commitment and the diffuse nature of presented material.
  2. Work plan has been developed.
  3. Rain garden tracking mechanism has been developed and is being adapted for external inputs.
  4. Progress has been made with stakeholder engagement and establishing partnerships.
  5. Numerical targets for years 2-5 not yet developed.
WQ4 Water Quality Improvement Facilities*
Implementation targets in the Regional River Health Strategy and Waterways Water Quality Strategy for local government on-ground works and regional water quality treatment will be achieved		 √ X X √ (√) X √ (√) √ √ Attached work plan could usefully include "Expected Nitrogen reduction" column.
WQ15 Water Quality Hot Spot Improvements**
8 pollution hotspots will be addressed by 2013		                   √ Good progress.
WQ10 Water Quality Improvement Plan*
Project manage the development of the Better Bays and Waterways and implement programs that Melbourne Water is responsible for		             √ √ √ √ Plan is nearing completion. Delays have arisen through tardiness in external inputs outside of Melbourne Water's control.
WQ16 Rural Water Quality**
A program to manage run-off in rural areas will be developed and implemented		                   √
  1. Sighted RWQP and Scoping Studies- appeared to be thorough documents.
  2. Attention to consistency in nomenclature would be helpful.
Flood management and drainage
DF2(a) Flood Mitigation (progress)*
10% of currently known intolerable flood risks will be reduced by 2013		 √ X √ X √ NA (√) √ √ √
  1. Flood Risk Assessment Framework produced.
  2. Work well on schedule.
DF6 Flood Awareness**
A flood awareness and preparation program in partnership with the VICSES and councils will be developed and implemented		                   √
  1. Advised that program has been developed (FloodSmart and StormSmart).
  2. Three personnel dedicated to this initiative have been engaged by SES with Melbourne Water support.
  3. Implementation of some actions has taken place.
  4. It is expected that future actions will be assessable against specific targets arising from the program schedule.
DF7 Flood Management Plans**
A flood awareness and preparation program in partnership with the VICSES and councils will be developed and implemented		                   (√)
  1. Two pilot plans have been developed to final draft stage, expected completion December 2009.
  2. Some external inputs only became available in May 2009.
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.		 √ √ √ √ (√) X (√) √ √ √
  1. Unclear whether 2008/09 adjustment to levels at Heatherton Road were implemented.
  2. Definition of "flash" and "riverine" flooding not made (although undertaken to be done last year).
DF8 Flood Mapping**
A program to undertake local flood extent and tidal mapping will be developed and implemented		                   √ Comprehensive program developed and implemented.
DF1 Asset Management
There will be no instances of asset structural failure that result in significant flooding, damage, disruption or personal injury.		 X √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ Clear presentation.
Managing urban growth
DF9 Development Strategies**
Development and redevelopment strategies will be prepared, implemented and reviewed according to the development planning program		                   √
  1. Sighted Development Planning Strategy Program 2008 -2013.
  2. On schedule.
DF2 (c) Flood Protection*
All new development will comply with flood protection standards		             √ √ √ √ Thorough internal audit.
MF2(a) Property Development Controls*
Statutory and agreed industry response times will be achieved for all referrals		 √ √ √ √ √ (√) (√) √ √ √
  1. Well set out compliance statement.
  2. Consistency of nomenclature would be helpful.
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.		 √ √ √ √ √ (√) √ (√) √ √ Could usefully include a final column "days to process".
DF4(c) Planning Scheme Updates*
Councils will be provided with any updated flood information for their municipality for inclusion in Council planning schemes, on an annual basis		           √ (√) √ √ √ Attached spreadsheet and map not easily interpretable
DF10 Planning Information**
A plan for improving transparency, streamlining and facilitating improved access to information for the development industry and community will be established and implemented		                   √ Ten projects (including GPS upgrade) have been identified and work is underway on several already.
Monitoring, investigations and research
WQ17(a) Monitoring and Investigation Program**
A program of monitoring and investigations for river health, environmental & recreational water quality and flood management will be implemented		                   √ Appears to be on schedule as the program has been developed and nine actions completed by June 2009.
DF5 Hydrographic Data Reporting*
Ensure that 95% of telemetered data achieves Quality Code of "1" within 30 days of collection, and that all external requests for data will be met within 10 working days.		           √ √ √ √ (√)
  1. Complied with time requirement for external requests for data.
  2. Advised that QC procedures were applied to all telemetered data with 30 days of collection.
  3. For telemetered data, some sites were excluded from internal audit due to bushfire effects, but these would normally be expected to behave similarly to those audited.
  4. Internal audit showed compliance (99.5%) for telemetered rainfall data, and substantial compliance (93.8%) for telemetered surface water and tidal level data.
WQ17(b) Waterways Research Program**
A program of research into river health, environmental & recreational water quality and flood management will be implemented		                   √ Assessment has been based solely upon evidence that expenditure on "Waterways and Wetlands" and "Aquatic Ecology" research combined exceeded budgeted amount.
WQ17(c) Western Port Study**
Melbourne Water will help initiate and implement a Western Port environmental study		                   √ While the Western Port Study is not yet underway, clear evidence is provided of Melbourne Water's commitment and actions to support the study's initiation.
WQ17(d) Flooding Social Research**
A program of social research on the intangible impacts of flooding will be developed and implemented		                   √ Advised that target program for the first year was finalised in March 2009.
WQ17(e) Waterways Monitoring**
A monitoring program for pesticides, herbicides, metals and hydrocarbons will be implemented		                   (√)
  1. The future program is still to be finalised.
  2. The 2008/2009 pilot program was developed and implemented and information coming from it will inform the final program.
WQ12 Public Health Investigations*
Risks to public health associated with the recreational use of waterways will be assessed		             √ (√) √ X
  1. Noted that Terms of Reference for the Lower Yarra River Health Risk Assessment have been prepared.
  2. Delay occasioned by specific specialist being deployed to higher priority area.
WW9 Rehabilitation Assessments**
5 sites will be assessed for effectiveness of rehabilitation works each year		                   √ 19 sites assessed, well ahead of target 5 per year.
Commitments No Longer Included In The Current Operating Charter
WQ6(b) Waterwatch Strategy Implementation   √ √ √ NA (√) √ √ √ #  
WQ6 (c) Frog Census             √ √ √ #  
NA 1 Waterway Management in the New Area             √ (√) √ #  
WW1(a) Waterway Works Approvals X √ √ √ √ √ (√) √ √ #  
WW1(b) Unauthorised Waterways Works √ √ √ √ √ √ (√) √ √ #  
NA2 Drainage and Flood Management in the New Area             √ (√) √ #  
WQ8 Stormwater Management Plans – Implementation           √ √ √ √ #  
WQ11 Lower Yarra Stormwater             (√) √ √ #  
MF1(a) Greenfield Drainage Schemes √ X √ √ √ √ √ √ (√) #  
MF1(b) Redevelopment Drainage Schemes           (√) √ √ √ #  
WW6 Waterway Condition Reports √ √ √ √ (√) √ ? √ √ #  
WQ5(b) Investigations to fill gaps √ √ √ √ X (√) √ √ √ #  
WQ5(a) Water Quality Data – analysis and reporting √ √ √ √ X √ √ √ √ #  
NA3 Monitoring in the New Area             √ √ √ #  
MF3(a) Research Expenditure √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ #  
MF3(b) Research Implementation √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ #  
MF3(c) Research Communication           (√) √ √ √ #