Waterways Charge
What is the waterways charge for?
The waterways charge provides funding for:
- Grants for the community to improve their rivers and creeks
- River health improvements
- River health investigations to better understand our waterways
- Stormwater management and Water Sensitive Urban Design to improve waterway water quality
- Urban development planning and approvals to ensure sustainable growth
- Flood protection and flood warning systems
- Drainage maintenance and improvements.
It is a charge for property owners within our boundary area.
About 1.5 million property owners, in our old area of responsibility, have paid a similar service charge (previously referred to as the drainage rate) since the 1920’s. Properties in our new area of responsibility are now also paying this service charge.
Who collects the waterways charge?
The water corporations within Melbourne Water's boundary area collect the charge on behalf of Melbourne Water from all rateable properties within this area.
| Water Company | Contact number |
|---|---|
| Barwon Water | 1300 656 007 |
| Central Highlands Water | 5320 3111 |
| City West Water | 9313 8555 |
| South East Water | 131 851 |
| Western Water | 1300 650 422 |
| Westernport Water | 1300 720 711 |
| Yarra Valley Water | 13 1721 |
What is happening in my local area? I’m in the new area…
Find out on the New Areas of Responsibility page.
Why do I have to pay now? I’m in the new area…
Our boundary has been extended and you are now within this boundary area.
Find out more about our boundary extension on the New Areas of Responsibility page
What will it cost?
The waterways charge was set by the Essential Services Commission on 20 June 2008 after consultation with the community. The table below outlines the prices:
| New boundary area (annual charge* for 2008/09) | Existing boundary area (annual charge* for 2008/09) |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Residential
(inside Urban Growth Boundary) |
$62.08 | A minimum of $62.08
Charge based on 1990 Net Annual Value of properties. New properties will be liable for the minimum charge. |
| Non-residential (inside Urban Growth Boundary) |
$81.36 | A minimum of $81.36
Charge based on 1990 Net Annual Value of properties. |
| Rural (all properties outside the Urban Growth Boundary) | $38.88 | $38.88 |
*Your water corporation may bill you quarterly for this charge.
Why are there different charges for rural customers?
Urban areas within the Urban Growth Boundary generally benefit from our drainage and flood protection services as well as our waterway services. Most of the major pipe and channel drainage systems benefit properties within the Urban Growth Boundary.
Rural areas mostly benefit from our waterway services and some aspects of flood protection. The lower charge for rural customers reflects the lower level of drainage and flood protection services compared to urban customers.
For more information on the Urban Growth Boundary, download our Essential Facts sheet (PDF, 473kb).
I want to talk to someone - who can I call?
The water corporations in the Port Phillip and Westernport catchment bill and collect the charge for Melbourne Water. Their customer service staff have a good understanding of Melbourne Water’s services in your local area. If you would like more information, please call your water company for more information:
| Water Company | Contact number |
|---|---|
| Barwon Water | 1300 656 007 |
| Central Highlands Water | 5320 3111 |
| City West Water | 9313 8555 |
| South East Water | 131 851 |
| Western Water | 1300 650 422 |
| Westernport Water | 1300 720 711 |
| Yarra Valley Water | 13 1721 |
Why have a waterways charge?
Catchments are geographic areas that drain rainwater from land into rivers, creeks, oceans and bays.
Wherever a property is located, run-off from its surfaces inevitably ends up in the drainage system and in our rivers, creeks and bays.
The waterways charge provides funding for a wide range of waterway management, flood protection and regional drainage services in Melbourne Water's area of responsibility, the Port Phillip and Westernport region.
Our work varies from localised projects to extremely large projects that benefit the entire region.
Spreading the cost of these services across all properties in the region is the fairest possible approach, given that everyone benefits either directly or indirectly from healthy waterways and a safe reliable drainage system.
Further information:
Download the Essential Facts sheet (PDF, 473kb).
2008 Waterways Water Plan
The Melbourne Water Waterways Water Plan summarises the outcomes, activities and expenditures Melbourne Water proposes to deliver and the prices it proposes to charge for the next five years.
Waterways Operating Charter
The Waterways Operating Charter establishes a blueprint for Melbourne Water's management of rivers, drainage and floodplains over the next Water Plan period. It sets out our responsibilities and priorities over the 2008/09 to 2012/13 Water Plan period and supports the detailed financial and pricing information outlined in the 2008 Waterways Water Plan.