GOULBURN Valley Water’s 2024 Annual Water Outlook has confirmed that water restrictions are unlikely this year and that drinking water supplies are in a stable position for the region. According to the updated water security outlook, published on Goulburn Valley Water’s website, only one of the 54 towns supplied by 13 river, creek and groundwater supply systems has any chance of experiencing water restrictions during 2025. Goulburn Valley Water Managing Director Dr Steve Capewell said a number of factors had been considered in the analysis, but the major contributors to the outcome were strong storage levels and wetter catchments following the spring 2022 floods. “All of the northern region’s water supply systems – the Murray River, Goulburn River, Seven Creeks, Nine Mile Creek, and Katunga’s groundwater have a very rare likelihood of restrictions, while the Delatite and Upper Delatite River, Brewery Creek, Steavenson River, Yea River and the Sunday Creek systems also have positive supply outlooks,” Dr Capewell said. Water demand projections, population growth predictions, climate modelling and two-year forecast graphs have been used to develop the Annual Water Outlook. The 2024 outlook is bolstered further by the fact Agriculture Victoria’s December to February 2025 outlook is projecting average to above average rainfall conditions. Dr Capewell said every five years Goulburn Valley Water produced an Urban Water Strategy to plan for short, medium and long term water availability and wastewater demand. “The 2027 strategy will create more opportunities for the use of recycled water, which was a preference outlined by our customers during engagement for the development of the 2022 Urban Water Strategy,” he said. Projects included in the current strategy are progressing well, and include a new pipeline connecting Numurkah to Nathalia, which is expected to be complete in 2027. There are also planned upgrades for water treatment plants in Shepparton, Broadford, and Cobram, along with a raw water pipeline in Mansfield.
