Water and sewerage
Water quality
Melbourne has some of the best drinking water in the world and we are committed to providing the highest quality water to our customers.
We have an ongoing monitoring program and management programs to make sure this quality remains high. Behind the scenes we carry out 27,000 water quality tests across the water supply network each year and our quality assurance programs are the same as those used in food and pharmaceutical industries worldwide.
The monitoring programs include continuous testing for colour, taste, clarity and any possible contamination. We also measure the pH, fluoride, copper, chlorine, iron, zinc, aluminium, lead and manganese levels.
Not all water is the same!
When travelling to country towns, interstate or overseas you may have noticed substantial differences in water quality. The same applies even within Melbourne. This is partly due to our natural water supply where each catchment has its own flavour and slight colouring.
We have a team of water quality experts who investigate complaints, provide solutions and generally keep an eye on the quality of the water supply. The water quality staff are backed up by a National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) registered testing laboratory, which is equipped with state-of-the-art instruments.
Managing water quality during drought
The majority of our source water comes from protected and remote catchments. This means the bulk of our water requires minimal treatment and is not filtered.
During times of drought, in order to maintain water quality, we may need to change the source of your water supply. As a result, your water may look, smell or taste slightly different, but is perfectly safe to drink. These qualities may vary over time as we bring other reservoirs back on line.
Reports on water quality
The water report by suburb has been developed to increase confidence in their water quality and the reliability of our services.
We are committed to monitoring, reporting and improving our service to customers at a local level. We are also committed to proactively maintaining open, honest, and relevant communications with our customers.
Drinking water quality annual report 2010-2011 (PDF 1.1MB)
Drinking water quality annual report 2009-2010 (PDF 1.2MB)
Drinking water quality report 2008 - 2009 (PDF 1MB)
Drinking water quality report 2007 - 2008 (PDF 753KB)
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Yarra Valley Water conducts over 27,000 water quality tests a year.
A thirst for innovation
Your water passes the test
