Desalinated Water Flowing To Melbourne And Geelong

Labor is securing Victoria’s water supply and ensuring Victorians have access to affordable drinking water.

Minister Tierney has ordered 150 billion litres of water from the Victorian Desalination Plant following the lowest metropolitan storage levels in more than six years.

Storages in Melbourne and Geelong have seen the steepest annual decline since the Millennium Drought.

Melbourne’s storage levels are 67.7 per cent lower than this time last year at 78.6 per cent and Geelong’s have dropped to 37.5 per cent.

The order is based on independent advice from water corporations which considers storage levels, future demands and expected rainfall.

Regular desalinated water orders are a normal part of Melbourne’s drinking water supply and support surrounding regions including parts of Gippsland, Phillip Island and Geelong.

The Victorian Desalination Plant can provide up to one-third of Melbourne’s annual water demand.

Melbourne will continue to have the lowest water prices of any Australian capital city.

The plant was opposed by the Liberals. Without it, right now our storages would be at critical levels.

The plant has delivered over 500 billion litres of drinking water since becoming operational and helped prevent costly water restrictions across Melbourne, Geelong and parts of Gippsland.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Water Gayle Tierney

“Labor is delivering more drinking water to help prevent water restrictions for Melbourne, Geelong and parts of Gippsland.”

“We will continue to invest in projects that maintain high-quality, reliable, and affordable drinking water supplies across Victoria.”