Retarding basins play an important role in reducing flood risk, temporarily storing stormwater during very high rainfall.

Melbourne Water has played a significant role in Melbourne’s development, from creating our underground sewerage system in the 1890s to completing Thomson Reservoir, Melbourne’s largest water supply reservoir in 1984.

Find out more about key moments in our organisation’s history.​

We are responsible for managing different types of heritage, including built, indigenous, contact and natural heritage.​

Access to clean water has shaped human settlements throughout history, and Melbourne is no different.

Melbourne's largest reservoir, the Thomson Dam, was designed to 'drought-proof' Melbourne. It was officially included in our water storages in 1984.

Follow the history of Melbourne’s sewerage, from open sewers and thunderboxes to sustainable resource management and recovery.

​The town of Cocoroc was built in 1894 at the Werribee Sewage Farm to house its workers. Discover its many fascinating stories.

The Western Treatment Plant has played a crucial role in Melbourne's development, treating our sewage since 1897.

Learn how we calculate water storage levels and why we display data in a particular way.