Melbourne Water is owned by the Victorian Government. We’re responsible for providing essential services for the Greater Melbourne region.
Our board of directors is appointed by the Minister for Water, in consultation with the Treasurer.
We look after:
- 10 major water storage reservoirs
- 40 service reservoirs, tanks and basins
- 13 water treatment plants
- 163,000 hectares of protected and open catchments
- 25,000 kilometres of waterways and 33,000 hectares of surrounding open space.
Along with your local water company, we also manage Greater Melbourne’s sewerage network of over 4,000km of pipes and pumps.
Flooding is a natural part of the weather cycle, but it can have a big impact. So we work with organisations and the community to manage flood risks and minimise impacts to Melbourne. Together with local councils, we manage a complex drainage system across the entire city to safely move stormwater away from built-up areas into rivers and creeks, and eventually into the bay.
We also work with local councils to update flood information across Greater Melbourne to better understand the risk of current and future flooding and to inform planning and development.
Melbourne Water has been around since 1992, when the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works merged with other water authorities. Back in 1992, Melbourne’s population was just 3.2 million people, but by 2030, nearly 6 million Melburnians will need access to essential services. That’s a lot more people needing water, drainage and sewerage management.
Our acknowledgement
Through all that we do, we recognise that the Traditional Owners of the region have connections to and hold ancient knowledge of the land and water that are inseparable from their lives. In tending to all the rivers, creeks and surrounding land of our greatest backyard, we work as partners, we listen, and we tell the truth with Traditional Owners throughout our region.
