Western Region Sustainable Water Strategy
New water strategy for western Victoria released

A comprehensive plan to manage water use in Victoria’s western region over the next 50 years has been released by Water Minister Peter Walsh.

The Western Region Sustainable Water Strategy maps out the region’s water resources and the challenges and opportunities facing all water users over the next 50 years.

The strategy aims to make the best use of water resources in different parts of the region, to protect the environment and be ready to manage the challenges of a variable climate and future droughts.

The development of the strategy was overseen by the Western Region Consultative Committee, which was chaired by Daryl Argall and has been meeting since 2009.

Water corporations, catchment management authorities, industry, farming and environmental groups and the broader regional community helped develop the strategy through wide consultation.

During the draft stages of the Strategy, the Western Region Consultative Committee received 272 submissions from farmers and townspeople, environmental advocates, industry, councils, local community groups and interest groups.

Mr Walsh thanked the community for getting involved in the initiative and the committee for the enormous amount of work it put into the plan.

“Regional communities have a vested interest in the way water is managed and used in the future because it underwrites their livelihoods,” Mr Walsh said.

“I hope this strategy will improve investment confidence and conditions by giving more certainty to water entitlement holders.”

The Strategy can be found at www.water.vic.gov.au/programs/sws/western.

Click here to read the Minister's media release.