Feedback sought on sustainable water

COMMUNITIES in Victoria’s central regions are encouraged to contribute to the Central Region Sustainable Water Strategy (SWS) review.

Sustainable Water Strategies are long-term plans for water resources across Victoria’s Gippsland, Northern, Western and Central regions.

The Central Region covers 80 per cent of Victorians and encompasses Geelong, Ballarat, greater Melbourne, Melton, Sunbury, Traralgon and Warragul.

More than 80 per cent of actions outlined under all strategies are now complete.

Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning SWS senior manager Chris McAuley said the strategy was a landmark that had an enormous impact on water management in the region.

The Central Region SWS is important to sustainable water management in Victoria, and was established during the drought in 2006.

To date, 104 of the 112 actions identified in the Central Region SWS have been completed.

The review is not developing a new strategy or new policies. Instead, the review report summarises the delivery of the actions within the SWS, documents lessons learnt and outlines issues for consideration in a future strategy or strategy incorporating the Central Region.

Victorian Minister for Water Lisa Neville said community input was vital to the review and would help outline how water management has changed since the strategy’s release and identify lessons learned to inform a new sustainable water strategy process.

Key accomplishments under the Central SWS include:

• 60 GL of water transferred to the environment across the Central Region
• The reduction of water consumption by 30 per cent at the height of the drought
• Significant improvements in water use efficiency which have now become permanent water saving measures, and
• Improved interconnection of water systems increasing options for meeting demand.

The strategy was also among the first in Victoria to recognise indigenous values of water, leading to formalised engagement with Traditional Owner groups in the subsequent Victorian Waterway Management strategy.

To view the review report or to contribute, head to https://engage.vic.gov.au/central-region-sws-review.