Water Outlook

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

At a glance:

Melbourne’s Annual Water Outlook 2026 shows that water storage levels have fallen significantly over the past year, following low rainfall, record-low streamflows and higher household water use.
From July 2024 to June 2025, inflows to Melbourne’s storages were 36% below the 30-year average, including the lowest January-June inflows on record.
Warmer conditions also saw daily household use for 2024/25 rise to 169 litres per person, up from 163 litres the previous year.
Despite the drop in water storages, water restrictions are not planned for this summer but may be needed if dry conditions continue.
A 50-billion litre desalinated water order for 2025/26 is currently supporting supplies and helping to slow the fall in storages.
Permanent Water Saving Rules apply across Victoria we all have a role to play in making every drop count.