Desalinated water to continue to boost storages
The Victorian Government has confirmed a 150 billion litre order for desalinated water for 2026–27, to replenish Melbourne’s water supplies and support homes, businesses and our growing community across Greater Melbourne and connected regions.
The order reflects recent and ongoing hot and dry weather, lower rainfall, declining inflows into storages, and the region’s growing population. The order is based on advice from Melbourne’s water corporations, which takes into account water storages levels, future demands and forecast climate conditions.
Desalinated water provided through the Victorian Desalination Plant is a normal part of our water supply – providing a safe, reliable and climate-independent source of drinking water.
At the end of March, Melbourne’s water storages were 67.1% full, down from 78.6% at the same time last year. This was the lowest end-of-summer storage level since 2020.
Geelong storages also dropped to 37.5% compared to last year’s 42.8%.
On average, Melbourne uses around 50-70 billion litres of water each year on top of what naturally flows into storages, making access to desalinated water essential.
The recent hot and dry conditions are expected to continue through autumn, increasing our reliance on stored and desalinated water.
The Victorian Desalination Plant can provide up to one-third of the Melbourne’s annual water demand, underpinning supply for Greater Melbourne and its connected regions, including Gippsland, Phillip Island and Geelong.
According to the quarterly Water Outlook for March 2026, water restrictions are now rated as ‘possible’ (20-49 per cent likelihood) for summer 2026–27. This desalinated water order along with individual efforts to conserve water may help Victorians avoid restrictions.
All Victorians are encouraged to make every drop count and take simple steps every day to conserve water.
Looking ahead, desalinated water is part of a range of water sources that will be needed to meet Victoria’s growing demands.
The 2025 Water Security Plan explores a combination of long-term solutions including increased water efficiency, expanded desalination, use of recycled water and harvested stormwater.
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