Water and Stormwater

Living in Melbourne, we only need to turn on the tap and we get clean, fresh water to drink, bath in and water our gardens. It can be easy to forget how precious clean drinking water is and how we all need to work together to manage it well.

Our challenges

• Rising water costs – drought and the Victorian Government’s efforts to secure our water supply, through projects such as the new desalination plant, have increased water costs. Council’s water bill has almost doubled over the past seven years Increased water use – easing of Melbourne’s water restrictions has seen water use back on the rise.
• A growing population – more people means more demand for water. As well as this, the extra buildings for housing and industry puts further pressure on our waterways. With smaller backyards and gardens, less rainfall soaks into the soil so more rainwater ends up in drains and creeks, increasing the risk of flooding and pollution levels.
• Poor waterway health – as a result of increased pollution and stormwater runoff into our drains and creeks from urban areas A changing climate – the forecast is for a hotter, drier future, with less water in our rivers and dams. Increased storm intensity is expected to result in an increase in flooding events.
• Split responsibilities – while Council has a valuable role to play, managing water resources falls largely with the Victorian Government and water authorities. We also need every household and business to play their part

Sustainable Stormwater Strategy

Council has a Sustainable Stormwater Strategy which outlines a framework for Council and the community to work together to identify, protect and improve Greater Dandenong’s stormwater assets, reduce flood risk, while welcoming sustainable growth and investment within the city.