Melbourne Water
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Melbourne Water is a government run organisation that controls much of the water system in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia including the city's reservoirs, sewerage and drainage system.
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[edit] Overview
Melbourne Water is wholly owned by the Victorian state Government. It manages Melbourne's water supply catchments, sewage, rivers and major drainage systems throughout the Port Phillip and Westernport region. Governance of Melbourne Water is by an independent Board of Directors in conjunction with the Minister for Water. Customers include the metropolitan retail water businesses (such as City West Water, South East Water and Yarra Valley Water.[1]), other water authorities, local councils and the land development industry. [2] Melbourne water primarily operates under the Water Industry Act 1994 and the Water Act 1989.[3] Melbourne Water was formed by the merger of Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works and a number of smaller urban water authorities in 1991. The Victorian Water Industry Association (VicWater) is the peak industry association for water companies in Victoria.
[edit] Melbourne's water storage
Melbourne Water manages the nine Melbourne reservoirs outlined in the table below. Total storage capacity is 1,773,000 megalitres.[4]
| Reservoir | Capacity (ML) | Year completed |
|---|---|---|
| Thomson | 1,068,000 | 1983 |
| Cardinia | 287,000 | 1973 |
| Upper Yarra | 200,000 | 1957 |
| Sugarloaf | 96,000 | 1981 |
| Silvan | 40,000 | 1932 |
| Yan Yean | 30,000 | 1857 |
| Greenvale | 27,000 | 1971 |
| Maroondah | 22,000 | 1927 |
| O'Shannassy | 3,000 | 1928 |
[edit] Water supply catchments
[edit] Overview
90% of Melbourne's water is sourced from uninhabited forests in the Yarra Ranges. In excess of 1,570 square kilometres is reserved for water catchment. These forests primarily consist of Mountain Ash. Catchment areas have been closed to the public for over 100 years .[5]
[edit] Clearfell logging in catchment areas
Clearfell logging is permitted in these catchment areas which in turn is reducing Melbourne's water supply.[6][7] It is estimated that 30 thousand megalitires of water could be saved per annum by phasing out logging. This represents 6% of Melbourne's annual usage.[8]
[edit] Major Projects
[edit] Seawater Desalination Plant
A $(AUS)3.1 billion desalination plant is to be built in the Wonthaggi region of the Bass Coast by the end of 2011.[9] The plant is to provide an additional 150 gigalitres of water each year. [10][11] Construction of the plant is scheduled to commence in mid-2009.[12] This project represents the single biggest boost to Melbourne's water system since the approval of the Thomson Dam in 1975.
[edit] Northern Sewerage Project
This is a major infrastructure project that will increase the capacity of the sewerage system in Melbourne's growing northern suburbs. It will also help protect the Merri and Moonee Ponds creeks by virtually eliminating sewage overflows that can occur after heavy rain.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Our Water Our Future
- Melbourne Water
- Department of Sustainability & Environment
- Yarra Valley Water
- South East Water
- City West Water
- Melbourne water supply issues
- Department of Primary industries: Water Supply Catchment Protection
- Victorian Water Industry Association (VicWater)
[edit] References
- ^ Melbourne Water : About Us : Our Customers : Our Customers
- ^ http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/library/about_us
- ^ Melbourne Water : About Us : Who We Are : Who We Are
- ^ Melbourne Water : Water : Water Storages : Water Storages
- ^ Melbourne Water : Water : Water Supply Catchments : Water Supply Catchments
- ^ Victorian Rainforest Network
- ^ The Wilderness Society - National water week demonstrations expose logging in Melbourne's water supply
- ^ http://www.tcha.org.au/water.html
- ^ In the eye of the storm - In Depth - theage.com.au
- ^ Melbourne Water : Current Projects : Water Supply : Seawater Desalination Plant : Seawater Desalination Plant
- ^ Microsoft Word - 132863.doc
- ^ Our Water, Our Future - Desalination Plant
