See Melbourne’s water outlook for the year ahead: a summary of the state of our water availability and demand, and what this means for Melbourne – including actions the water industry is taking to secure a resilient, reliable water supply.
The Water Outlook is developed collaboratively by Melbourne Water, Greater Western Water, South East Water and Yarra Valley Water due to the shared nature of Melbourne’s water sources. It is based on storage levels in Melbourne’s water supply system as of late November each year, taking into account factors like rainfall, water orders from the Victorian Desalination Plant, and water conservation behaviours.
Melbourne’s water outlook at a glance
Outlook for 2023
Melbourne’s water storages are more than 98% full, the highest since 1996. However, responsible water use remains important. While restrictions are not expected for Greater Melbourne in 2023, our water demand is growing over the long term and high storages are the best way to ensure a reliable, resilient supply.
At a glance:
- Melbourne’s water storages are at 98.2% (24 November 2022), benefitting from high rainfall and inflows into our catchments over the last three years, including the third consecutive La Niña.
- Our storages have recovered well and are almost at capacity, building resilience against climate variability.
- We are in the ‘Be Responsible’ water outlook zone and do not expect any water restrictions for Greater Melbourne over the coming 12 months.
- Still, with a long-term warming and drying trend and a population forecast to double by 2070, we must continue to use water responsibly and prepare now for the future.
Download the Water Outlook
For an in-depth look at these issues, download the Water Outlook:
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