The water we provide to our community comes from various sources, including groundwater, surface water, the Murray River, and the Grampians Headworks Storages, a major source of water that is fondly known as 'Headworks'. Water from these sources gets to your home via a network of pipelines, headworks channels, water treatment plants, reservoirs and dams.
'Headworks'
GWMWater is responsible for the care and maintenance of the infrastructure of the Headworks. It includes 11 reservoirs and diversion weirs, and the streams and channels connecting them.
The independent Storage Manager manages the distribution of the water resources from the Headworks to the bulk water entitlement holders. The Storage Manager makes decisions under strict governance laws according to the current reservoir levels.
More about the Grampians Headworks Storages, bulk entitlement holders and Storage Manager
Groundwater
Groundwater is an essential resource for our community, especially in the western parts of the region. With no regulated water supply system and limited opportunities for catchment runoff, landholders are dependent on good quality, reliable water for stock and domestic use, and even irrigation. GWMWater is responsible for managing the groundwater areas.
Murray River
The Murray River is an important water supply for our region. GWMWater holds a 6,409 ML Murray system water entitlement, which is to meet the demands of the Northern Mallee Pipeline and Wimmera Mallee Pipeline Supply System 5.
Pipelines
GWMWater is responsible for the water supply infrastructure from the source to your home. This means that assets like pipelines, water treatment plants, pump stations, reservoirs and dams are under our care.
Recent years have seen an enormous expansion in the capability of our rural pipeline network with the construction of the following pipelines:
Wimmera Mallee Pipeline
Completed in April of 2010, the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline replaced 17,500 km of inefficient channel systems to ensure a more secure and healthy water supply for the region. It supplies water to approximately 9,000 farms and 34 townships across the Wimmera and Mallee.
More about constructing the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline
Northern Mallee Pipeline
The Northern Mallee Pipeline is a 3,650 kilometre pipeline covering an area of 890,000 hectares. It was completed in 2004 to replace the old, inefficient channel system in the area to provide a more secure and healthier water supply. Water for the Nothern Mallee Pipeline is sourced directly from the Murray River from four pumping stations at Swan Hill, Piangil, Nyah and Liparoo.
South West Loddon Pipeline
The construction of another major pipeline, the South West Loddon Pipeline, started on 5 July 2016 and has been completed. The Minister for Water Lisa Neville officially opened Stage 1 on 13 October 2017. Stage 2 is currently being designed.
More about the South West Loddon Pipeline
Further information...
Our A full listing of towns, rural pipelines and their supply sources can be found here.
Information about our environmental management, sustainability and water resource plans and strategies.
Our reservoirs and lakes are open to the public for recreational activities. View current water levels and recreational activities permitted at our lakes and reservoirs.
Pipeline supplied recreation lakes and weir pools Our rural pipelines supply water to 12 recreation lakes and weir pools in our region. The water is supplied under a 3,090 ML recreation water entitlement held by GWMWater.
Pipeline supplied environmental wetlands Our rural pipelines supply water to 51 wetlands in our region. The water is supplied under a 1,000 ML environmental entitlement held by the Victorian Environmental Water Holder.
Review the economic and social contribution made by the local weirs, lakes and rivers to the regional economy. This assessment encompassed 27 lakes, weir pools and rivers around the region. |
