The Victorian Government has announced a record 150-gigalitre (GL) order of water from the Victorian desalination plant in Wonthaggi for the 2026–27 financial year.

This tops the 50GL order from the previous financial year and surpasses the previous high (125GL orders in three successive years: 2019–20 to 2021–22).

It comes as metropolitan storage levels reach their lowest level in more than six years, with storages in Melbourne and Geelong seeing the sharpest decline since the Millennium Drought during the 2000s.

Melbourne storage levels were at 67.1 per cent at the end of March, down from 78.6 per cent at the same time last year, while Geelong storage has dropped to 37.5 per cent.

The Victorian desalination plant can provide up to one-third of Melbourne’s annual water demand, supporting supply for Greater Melbourne and its connected regions, including Gippsland, Phillip Island and Geelong. The remaining two-thirds needs to come from rainfall water held in dams and storages, supplemented by recycled water and stormwater.

The plant has provided more than 500GL since it became operational during the 2016–17 financial year, with desalinated water orders a normal part of Melbourne’s drinking water supply.

The Victorian desalination plant is connected to the Victorian water grid through a transfer pipeline, supporting Melbourne Water alongside three adjacent water corporations – South East Water, Westernport Water and South Gippsland Water.

Elsewhere, Melbourne Water has opened community consultation for a major upgrade at Cardinia Reservoir, which will see the ageing dam refurbished to meet modern standards.

Water from Cardinia Reservoir can be pumped to Silvan Reservoir and then distributed to most of the city, or pumped directly to the CBD.

Consultation is open until April 26 here.

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