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Melbourne's water
storages are currently at:
41.9%
breakdown by reservoir
(you can click on each reservoir
for more information)
Thomson: 27.2%
Cardinia: 43.4%
Upper Yarra: 69.9%
Sugarloaf: 84.1%
Silvan: 88.9%
Tarago: 60.5%
Yan Yean: 54.6%
Greenvale: 66.6%
Maroondah: 100.0%
O'Shannassy: 100.0%
past, present and future
Today, we consider our rivers and creeks to be some of Melbourne's most precious natural environments. However, this was not the case in the past.
The early days
In Melbourne's early days, the Yarra River was often used as a dumping ground for rubbish and raw sewage. By the late 1880s Melbourne faced a big pollution problem. The young city's waste disposal activities were unhygienic, unsightly, and were damaging the environment.
The establishment of the Western Treatment Plant in Werribee in the 1890s ensured that raw sewage stopped flowing directly into the Yarra River. However, people still dumped their rubbish into the river.
Cleaner rivers and creeks
Healthy waterways
Our expectations towards our rivers and creeks have changed greatly since the 1970s. There are now stronger environmental laws, and more people caring about our rivers and creeks.
The introduction of the Environment Protection Act in 1970 has meant great improvements in the health of our rivers and creeks. Wastes from Melbourne homes and factories are now, diverted into the sewerage system, instead of the Yarra River.
In the 1990s, Melbourne Water started a number of projects to improve the health of our rivers and creeks. As a result, native fish and platypus have started to return to our rivers and creeks.
At the same time, local councils and the building industry became more involved in helping us reduce stormwater pollution. The community also became more involved in protecting and improving the health of our rivers and creeks.
Today, the approach to the expansion of our towns and cities (sometimes called urban development) is more sustainable. For example, water-sensitive urban design is being introduced in new housing estates to protect and to improve the health of our rivers and creeks.
The Yarra – Melbourne's most famous river
The Yarra River
The Yarra River is not very different from many major rivers flowing through big cities. It has been polluted by wastes from tanneries, abattoirs, breweries. There have been sewer overflows, and wastes from unsewered areas flowing into it. Stormwater carrying litter and other rubbish flows directly into it.
However, over the past 30 years, the water quality in the Yarra River has improved. The Yarra is no longer a dumping ground because most of Melbourne's houses and factories (such as tanneries, abattoirs and breweries) are connected to the sewerage system. The Yarra River now compares favourably to other urban rivers overseas.
We have removed weirs and pipes, which were preventing fish from migrating up and down the river. Now, fish are able to travel in more sections of the river.
In general, the condition of the Yarra River is excellent high up in the Yarra Ranges. There, the Yarra River flows through uninhabited forests in our protected catchments. However, its condition gradually declines as it travels past farms, market gardens, towns and cities, on its way to the bay.