Our Waterways and Drainage Implementation Plan (WDIP) outlines how we care for the health of rivers and creeks, manage regional drainage, and help communities prepare for and respond to flooding.
The WDIP sets out our responsibilities, goals and service levels, and explains how we prioritise investment in programs that that provide healthy waterways and flood resilient communities.
These services are funded through the Waterways and Drainage Charge, paid by property owners across the Port Phillip and Westernport region.
What the plan includes
Each five-year plan outlines the sub-services and major programs of work we deliver to:
- protect and improve the health of rivers, creeks, wetlands and estuaries
- deliver the region’s urban and rural (Koo Wee Rup) drainage services
- partner with councils, agencies and communities to strengthen flood resilience
- meet our statutory obligations as the waterway manager, drainage and floodplain management authority.
The WDIP is an obligation set out in the Statement of Obligations (General). It outlines our key commitments on primary strategies, to our customers, stakeholders and the community.
Current plan
Our current WDIP covers the period 2021–2026 and was developed as part of our 2021 Price Submission. It ends 30th June 2026.
Download an overview of the plan or the full document:
Assessing our progress
To ensure transparency and accountability, our performance against the 2021–26 WDIP is independently assessed each year. The plan includes 19 targets and associated performance measures. The results are published on this page and in our annual report.
The following criteria are used to measure what we’ve achieved:
- Met – 100% of measures are achieved and/or the target value is achieved
- Substantially met – at least 80% of measures achieved, with targets likely to be met over the five‑year period.
- Not met – the specification for the target was not met in the assessment year, due to internal or external factors.
- Not scored – the target is measured over a longer period and does not apply to annual reporting.
- Annual performance reports
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Previous WDIP results
| Year | Number of targets | Met | Substantially met | Not met | Not scored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | 21 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2018–19 | 21 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2017–18 | 21 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016–17 | 21 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
Next plan: 2026–31 Waterways and Drainage Implementation Plan
We are currently developing the 2026-31 WDIP, informed by the customer and stakeholder engagement and 2026 Price Submission. This will be updated following the Essential Services Commission’s 2026 Price Determination, expected June 2026.
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