Our water story
Everything you need to know about water in the City of Melbourne.
Why is water essential for liveability? What is the City of Melbourne doing to make our urban water system more sustainable and why are these projects important? How much water do we use?
You’ll find the answers to these questions and many more in the pages below.
https://youtu.be/qcxgBh7GquE
What is the water cycle?
The water cycle is the movement of water around the earth.
How does urbanisation impact the water cycle?
The natural water cycle cannot function properly in urban areas because buildings, concrete and other sealed surfaces prevent water from soaking into the ground.
The value of stormwater
Stormwater is an important resource that can be used to maintain and enhance liveability
What is Water Sensitive Urban Design?
WSUD is an important part of water cycle management. It is an approach that integrates whole of water cycle management into urban planning and design.
Integrated Water Cycle Management (IWCM)
The City of Melbourne practices integrated water cycle management. This is the coordinated management of all components of the water cycle including water consumption, rainwater, stormwater, wastewater and groundwater, to secure a range of benefits for the wider catchment.
Water and climate change
Some of the impacts of climate change will be felt more prominently in urban areas, including heat waves, hotter average temperatures, extreme storm events and flooding.
Water use facts
The municipality of Melbourne covers 3766 hectares at the bottom of the Port Phillip Bay catchment. Three major waterways passing through the municipality: the Yarra River, Maribyrnong River and Moonee Ponds Creek
What water do we manage?
The City of Melbourne is highly urbanised which means it has a variety of land uses, owners and stakeholders.
Click on a topic to learn more about water in Melbourne
