Desalinated water is now flowing into Melbourne’s Cardinia Reservoir ahead of schedule, with the Victorian Government bringing additional supply online as metropolitan water storage levels continue to fall.
Melbourne’s water storages have dropped below 64 per cent, their lowest level in more than six years, following more than two years of declining storage levels despite recent rainfall.
The Victorian Desalination Plant will produce 150 billion litres of water over the next 12 months under the maximum annual order, helping bolster supplies for Melbourne as well as Geelong, parts of Gippsland and Phillip Island.
The Victorian Government said bringing desalinated water online early would allow supplies to enter the network sooner and strengthen water security ahead of future demand.
Since becoming operational, the Victorian Desalination Plant has supplied more than 500 billion litres of drinking water, equivalent to almost 28 per cent of Melbourne’s total storage capacity.
The State Government said desalination has become an important component of Victoria’s long-term water supply strategy because it provides a climate-independent source of drinking water that does not rely on rainfall.
Victorian Minister for Water, Harriet Shing, said the infrastructure played a critical role in maintaining reliable water supplies.
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