A $25 million upgrade that will provide Daylesford with a more secure water supply is nearing completion.
Works are now starting on the third and final stage of Central Highlands Water’s Daylesford Water Supply Pipeline project, which will supplement the existing water supply for Daylesford and surrounding towns.
Daylesford, Hepburn and Hepburn Springs are currently on stage 2 water restrictions, as the region’s driest summer and autumn in more than 30 years saw storage levels drop to around 30 per cent in June.
Once completed in 2026, the pipeline will help supplement the water held in the Wombat and Bullarto reservoirs, with up to 300 million litres of water per year able to flow into Daylesford when needed.
Previous stages of the project have seen the construction of the 17 kilometre pipeline connecting Daylesford to the Goldfields Superpipe, with works now starting on upgrades to the Daylesford Water Treatment Plant to ensure the water is safe to drink before it reaches households and businesses.
The $25 million upgrade is Central Highlands Water’s largest investment into Daylesford’s water supply.
Climate change, declining rainfall and population growth are putting increasing pressure on Victoria’s drinking water supplies. Victoria has become warmer and drier over recent decades, and the long-term trend is expected to continue.
The Victorian Government is taking action to secure more water for our future and ensure we have reliable, safe and affordable drinking water in the decades ahead.
Page last updated: 25/08/25