Background

As Melbourne grows over the next 10 years, desalinated water is expected to be the primary source of additional drinking water. However, alternative water sources – such as fit-for-purpose recycled water, rainwater and stormwater – can add to Melbourne’s water supply and reduce demand on the system. In turn, this can affect the sequence, timing and overall cost of large-scale desalination augmentation. These alternative water options can also deliver a range of environmental and social benefits (e.g. flood mitigation, biodiversity, recreation and amenity).

What we’re doing

Integrated water management (IWM) projects that incorporate alternative water sources currently represent a small part of Melbourne’s current water supply needs.

The transition required to deliver up to 200 GL by 2070 will be significant, requiring changes in how we plan, deliver and pay for IWM projects. 

The project involves working with stakeholders to:

• develop a working definition of an ‘all options on the table’ approach
• identify barriers and enablers to adopting an ‘all options on the table’ approach
• develop a high-level action plan and recommendations to address barriers and make the most of opportunities. 

How it will help

The deliverables from this project will be:

• a high-level action plan that reflects Melbourne’s context and recommends strategies that enable a comprehensive ‘all option on the table’ approach 
• a detailed analysis of an identified and agreed issue to better inform ongoing implementation.