Geelong can now access a greater volume of water from the Melbourne supply system, following a $40 million upgrade of the Melbourne to Geelong Pipeline.
Barwon Water has led year-long works to expand the capacity of the pipeline from 16 billion litres a year to 22 billion litres.
It means more than half of Geelong’s annual water demand can be met by Melbourne’s water system, when local water storages are under pressure.
The pipeline has played a key role in helping Geelong avoid water restrictions this year during one of the driest periods on record across the region.
Completed in early 2013 at a cost of $80 million, the pipeline was built to ensure Geelong would have a reliable water supply during drought and dry conditions.
The Victorian Government continues to invest in the state’s water grid - a highway for water that underpins water security for much of the state.
Victoria’s desalination plant bolsters Melbourne’s storages with desalinated water that free up system supply regional communities including Geelong.
Since 2016, the Victorian Desalination Plant has added more than half a trillion litres of water to Melbourne’s water storages. This volume equates to more than Melbourne uses in an average year.
Desalinated water, water efficiency programs, recycled water and treatment of stormwater are all part of the Victoria Government’s strategic approach to ensure reliable water supplies into the future.
Page last updated: 01/12/25