Victoria has once again seen bushfire activity this January, so it’s natural for people to wonder how Melbourne’s drinking water stays safe when fires are near our reservoirs and forested catchments. Melbourne Water works closely with Victoria’s emergency agencies to protect our water. Here, we explain how we get ready for bushfire season, how our crews respond to fires, and how we keep water quality high if fire gets too close to our catchments.

Melbourne Water’s innovative learning program, The Future Water Story, has been awarded silver at the 2026 BETTER FUTURE World Design Awards, which celebrates both the courage of commissioning clients and design professionals.

Melbourne Water recently finished key fire-prevention work ahead of the Australia Day long weekend in the Black Range to help protect the Upper Yarra Catchment, after a period of very high fire risk in the area.