Frequently Asked Questions About Waterway Diverters
- What is the diversion management team’s function?
- What is water trading?
- What is the Water Register?
- What happens if I sell my property?
- Who is responsible for farm dam safety?
- What rules apply to large dams?
- Can I obtain stormwater for irrigation?
- How is access to water controlled to ensure compliance?
- What policies and guidelines are there for diverting water from rivers and creeks?
- Useful links
1. What is the diversion management team’s function?
Our diversion management team manages the taking of surface water from rivers, creeks and dams within the Yarra River, Lower Maribyrnong River and Western tributary catchments. The water that is removed from these waterways is used for a variety of agricultural, industrial, commercial and domestic purposes and can only be removed in accordance with the licensing requirements of the Water Act 1989 and within sustainable limits.
The team is also responsible for managing dam construction and operating licensing requirements in the region.
More information:
2. What is water trading?
Water trading is the buying and selling of water entitlements. In other words, if you are a water entitlement holder, you may buy or sell water entitlements at your discretion at a price determined by the market.
More information:
Relevant forms:
- Diversion Licence Permanent Or Temporary Transfer Application (PDF, 126kb)
- Diversion Licence Permanent Transfer Application as a Result of a Land Transfer (LTA) (PDF, 126kb)
- Advertising Guidelines for Trading (PDF, 51kb)
- Construction Licence Application (PDF, 24kb) – only required when proposed dam is considered hazardous.
- Trading Water Entitlements Expression of Interest Form (PDF, 62kb) – required if you wish to trade part or the full amount of your entitlement.
Fees:
3. What is the Water Register?
The Water Register is a public register of all water-related entitlements in Victoria.
The register is shared between an independent Victorian Water Registrar, the Office of Water in the Department of Sustainability and Environment, and rural water corporations.
The Water Register records water entitlements with integrity, enables proper water accounting, keeps track of the water market and produces crucial information for managing Victoria’s water resources.
From mid 2009 the register will include licences from the Yarra and Maribyrnong catchments.
More information:
4. What happens if I sell my property?
A permanent transfer of licence or a transfer of licence ownership usually occurs upon the sale of a property where a licence is already assigned. This is different to water trading because the location of where the water is taken from and the land on which the water can be used is not changing.
More information:
Relevant forms:
Fees:
5. Who is responsible for farm dam safety?
All farm dam owners are legally responsible for the safety of their dams and any damage these dams may cause if they fail. The Water Act 1989 specifies licensing requirements for the construction and operation of dams and for the taking and use of water from dams.
All dams require regular inspection and maintenance to keep them in good order.
If you are the owner of a dam, it is important for you to know that:
- If it fails, you are likely to be held liable for any loss of life, injury or damage which results.
- Even if you are able to prove in a court of law that some or all of the responsibility for a failure lies with others, it is very likely that you will still be liable for expenses.
- Even if a failure does not cause damage outside your property, the cost of remedial work can easily exceed the original construction cost of the dam.
More information:
6. What rules apply to large dams?
An operating licence is required for large dams to ensure that dam owners take proper precautions to protect life and property. If you are proposing to build a large dam or own an existing large dam then you must obtain an operating licence.
Dams that are considered to be potentially hazardous include those that:
- have a wall of 5 metres or more high and a capacity of 50 megalitres or more
- have a wall of 10 metres or more high and a capacity of 20 megalitres or more
- have a wall of 15 metres or more high regardless of the capacity
More information:
7. Can I obtain stormwater for irrigation?
As the pressure on our water supply increases there has been a shift to using alternative water sources, such as stormwater. Historically we have issued licences to diverters in the rural areas of Melbourne for irrigation and other such uses. However due to concerns about over-allocation and environmental flow conditions, limits are now being placed on the allocation of water in the Yarra River catchment.
More information:
Fees:
8. How is access to water controlled to ensure compliance?
We are responsible for regulating access to water in our area. A key component of this responsibility is ensuring compliance with water legislation, which is necessary to ensure equitable sharing of the resource, and becomes even more critical in periods of drought.
9. What policies and guidelines are there for diverting water from rivers and creeks?
Policies
- Diversion Management Policy (PDF, 90kb)
Describes the policy and principles that guides the administration of diversions management. - Stormwater Harvesting Policy (PDF, 429kb)
Aims to ensure a consistent approach to urban stormwater harvesting within the urban areas according to current legislation. - Water Transfer and Trading Policy (PDF, 129kb)
Describes the policy and principles that will be applied in the management and administration of water trades. - Customer Charter (PDF, 289kb)
Guidelines
- Guidelines for Waterway Offtakes (PDF, 52kb)
- Meter Installation (Draft) (PDF, 235kb)
- Waterway Determination (PDF, 61kb)
10. Useful links
Department of Primary Industries
Southern Rural Water and Groundwater
Victorian Water Register
Environment Protection Authority
Other rural water authorities
Office of Water