Role statement - Melbourne Water

Develop and implement plans for the protection of Melbourne Water’s assets and systems, including dam safety, water quality, catchment and asset security

1.1

Develop policies and procedures for the management of trade waste

1.1

Regulate development in flood prone areas within Melbourne Water’s waterway management district as a referral authority under council planning schemes

1.1

Prepare sub-catchment drainage strategies to support urban development

1.1

Establish agreements with land developers for the provision of drainage infrastructure

1.2

Develop and implement plans and operational procedures for the continuity of Melbourne’s water supply systems, dams, reticulated wastewater (sewerage) systems, waterways and drainage assets

1.1, 1.3

Develop and undertake training and exercise activities to ensure that Melbourne Water’s people, customers and partners are able to implement plans and procedures

1.6

Continue to develop the flood monitoring system for Melbourne Water’s waterway management district

4.7

Implement plans for the protection of Melbourne Water’s assets and systems from threats and impacts, including dam safety, water quality, catchment and asset security

1.3, 1.5

Implement plans and procedures for the continuity of services in the event of a threat or impact to Melbourne Water’s reticulated water supply systems, dams, reticulated wastewater (sewerage) systems, waterways and drainage assets 

1.3, 1.5, 19.6

Participating agency for the following flood mitigation activities:

• legislative policy framework including floodplain management strategy, reform (lessons learnt)
• flood mitigation infrastructure e.g. levees, retarding basins
• vegetation/waterway management
• flood emergency planning including readiness
• Total Flood Warning System as per Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy 
• dam safety management to mitigate risks from potential dam failure (as a dam owner and/or operator) 

Table 8: Participating agencies for mitigation

Participating agency for the following storm mitigation activity:

• drainage systems (drainage standards and strategy)

Table 8: Participating agencies for mitigation

Undertake response activities related to DEECA response plans

3.2

Provide advice and support to the control agency and other response agencies regarding the impact of an incident or emergency (including pollution to waterways) within Melbourne Water’s waterway management district 

3.2, 11.1, 16.1

Provide advice and support to DEECA for dam safety events, where they have the resources capacity, including technical and operational resources.

3.2, 11.3

Manage local dam safety incidents for dams owned or operated by Melbourne Water 

3.2

Provide flood predictions to the BoM for Melbourne’s water courses for which flood warning systems have been developed 

4.5, 4.6

Provide emergency works to alleviate flooding and clearance of waterways and drainage assets after flooding has occurred

18.3

Lead the delivery of the following recovery activities:

• restore reticulated wastewater, sanitation systems and wastewater management by leading the restoration of sewerage /sanitation systems/wastewater systems for domestic use (co-lead with DEECA)

3.2, 19.4, 19.7

• fish death clean-ups where the fish death event is on a water corporation managed water body.

• recovery and rehabilitation of reticulated water supply for domestic use by leading the restoration of these systems (co-lead with DEECA and metropolitan water corporations)

• support the recovery and rehabilitation of areas directly impacted by the failure of Melbourne Water’s assets or systems

• mitigate immediate short-term further public health risks associated with waterways and drainage networks where damaged from third-party events/emergencies (e.g. water run-off from structure fires) through recovery efforts

• restore, clear and rehabilitate public buildings and assets managed within Melbourne Water’s portfolio

• assess, restore, clear and rehabilitate Melbourne Water managed public buildings and assets (e.g. public amenities)

Recovery Support Agency (RecSA) to: 

• relevant land managers to undertake erosion control on public land to help manage risk to public safety, natural and cultural assets and values, and infrastructure 

Table 18: Recovery coordination: Natural environment

• DEECA, EPA and PV to support fish death clean-ups where the fish death event is on a Melbourne Water managed catchment area and where the fish death event is due to natural causes. It is at Melbourne Water’s discretion to lead a fish death clean up at a regional or state scale. 

18.4