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Victorian budget allocates $112 million to sustainable water management
03 May 2022
The Victorian government has allocated $112 million to sustainable water management in the 2022/23 budget
Investments include:
- $56.6 million for the Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy – our 50-year water security plan – to support jobs, communities, industry and agriculture across the region
- $10 million for waterway and catchment health projects, improving the water supply to the Lower Latrobe wetlands, delivering a fishway at Maffra Weir and investigating ways to improve the health of the Moorabool River and upgrade the Werribee Diversion Weir
- $39 million for more recycled and stormwater projects, giving communities and businesses guaranteed water supply for green spaces such as local parklands, and preserving our drinking water supply
- $6 million to help protect our water sector from the harsh effects of climate change as part of the Water Cycle Adaptation Action Plan – this includes projects to increase stormwater and recycled water uptake and trialling new blue-green algae management approaches to prevent outbreaks
- $1.6 million to explore ways regional Victoria can unlock more benefits from the desalination plant, including investigating an expansion of the Melbourne-Geelong Pipeline, to ensure we continue to secure drinking water supplies, drought-proof our natural environment and support industry and agriculture
- $51.8 million for a long-term solution to mine-affected groundwater under Bendigo, with remediation works to support tourism at Central Deborah Gold Mine and protect the natural environment of Bendigo Creek
- $3.9 million to support the water aspirations of Aboriginal Victorians and develop leadership opportunities for Aboriginal Victorians on water sector boards
