The Allan Labor Government is making sure Victorian families have access to secure and affordable water supplies as the state continues to face drying conditions despite recent rainfall.
Minister for Water Gayle Tierney today released the Victorian Annual Water Outlook, which shows a drop in water storage levels and the need to continue to source new water supplies into the future.
The state's water storages are feeling the effect of successive dry years, sitting at 61 per cent full on average - down 18 per cent from last year. 2025 also marked the first time urban water restrictions have been needed since 2020.
Melburnians used around 200 billion litres more water than flowed into storages in 2024-25, leading to the steepest decline in storage levels since the Millennium Drought.
50 billion litres of desalinated water was successfully delivered in 2025, helping to deliver reliable supplies to more than six million people across Geelong, Melbourne, and parts of Gippsland.
The decline in water storages highlights the need to be water smart by following the Permanent Water Saving Rules and making simple changes around the house to save water.
Permanent Water Saving Rules are simple year-round, enforceable rules that hoses must be leak-free with a trigger nozzle for all uses, including washing cars and gardens, sweeping down hard outdoor surfaces rather than hosing them, and only using watering systems for the garden between 6pm and 10am.
A review into Victoria's Permanent Water Saving Rules found that awareness of the rules has been declining over the past decade, but they remain fit for purpose to help families and businesses to reduce water consumption.
To help boost water-saving awareness, a Make Every Drop Count water saving campaign will be running over summer to remind the community to use our water supplies wisely and help avoid potential water restrictions.
We can all make a difference by making simple changes inside and outside our homes, such as taking shorter showers, fixing leaks, washing with full loads, and not watering your garden in the heat of the day.
Modelling shows that over the next decade Victoria will need an extra 95 billion litres of water per year - on top of the Victorian Desalination Plant running at full capacity as our population grows and climate gets drier.
The government continues to invest in water efficiency programs, increasing the use of storm and recycled water sources, making regular desalinated water orders when required, and exploring all viable options to boost supply through the Water Security Plan.
The Water Security Plan is available at water.vic.gov.au.
As stated by Minister for Water Gayle Tierney
"It's important all Victorians do what they can to make every drop of water count as we head into a hot and dry time of year."
"We will continue to invest in projects that maintain high-quality, reliable, and affordable drinking water supplies in Victoria."
