Regulated diversion customers
Our regulated systems include the network of streams, creeks and rivers that are controlled or ‘regulated’ by water storages and allow the water to be released to customers when it is required.
Access to water
Our regulated diversion customers take water from rivers, streams and creeks across the region. A positive relationship with customers is essential to ensure the system operates efficiently and services are delivered effectively. To ensure our services are as reliable as possible, our customers should:
- lodge, receive, alter and complete water orders
- complete information on planned water requirements
- care for assets and prevent damage to them
- provide a hazard-free work area for our employees
- report if their meter is not working; and
- keep informed about issues or changes to services.
Customers who access water through piped supply can access water at any time during the year. However from time to time your supply may be interrupted as we conduct maintenance or a supply failure occurs. If a planned water outage is scheduled you will be notified in advance.
Ordering water
A reminder for our regulated diverter customers that they must order water before using it, and use must accurately reflect the flow rate and ordered duration. Without placing an order, you are taking water without authority and may be subject to penalties under the Water Act. It is illegal to take and use more water than allowed under your entitlement. Please ensure you have the right authorisations before taking water from a dam, bore, stream, river or creek.
Placing an order for water also means we are able to accurately account for how much water was used if a meter fails. All regulated diversions customers have the ability to monitor their seasonal usage through WaterLINE. It also allows you to record your own meter readings and produce a Water Usage Statement that summarises water usage for the current season.
This report details your seasonal allocation, any movement of water in and out through trade; and how much is available allocation remaining to use, trade or carryover into the next season.
If you have lost or misplaced your User Number or PIN we can also assist you with resetting them.
If you haven’t used WaterLINE before please call the GMW Customer Experience Team on 1800 013 357 and we will connect you with your local Diversions Inspector who will help get you started or visit https://www.gmwater.com.au/waterline
Metering
Meter readings are taken at least annually. Some are read more frequently for billing and verification of usage. Customers will need to contact their local Diversion Inspector to confirm the need to meter any new works associated with your licence. Metering is a Victorian Government policy to improve management of surface water resources.
GMW will provide customers with the necessary information required to purchase and install a flow meter. The installation can be carried out by customers (under instruction from GMW to ensure standards are met) or alternatively it can arrange for GMW to carry out the installation. It is the customer’s obligation to provide a safe works site when carrying out by GMW. Once a meter is installed it becomes the property of GMW. Please contact your local Customer Service Centre if you have queries about your metering requirements.
Water trading
A wide range of trading options are available depending on your location. Information, fees and forms are available online at the Water Register website www.waterregister.vic.gov.au
Allocation trades can be accessed online through the Victorian Water Register or Broker online portal for instant approval of transfer. Paper transactions will take up to five days.
Buying and selling water shares
Water shares can be bought and sold subject to water trading rules. For more information, visit the Water Register website or speak to your local water broker.
Carryover
Carryover is a risk management tool which provides you with the ability to carry forward unused water from one season to the next. Answers to many of your carryover questions can be found on the Victorian Water Register website at www.waterregister.vic.gov.au You can also test different scenarios relating to carryover and spillable water by using the simulators on this website. There are different rules between river systems, and you can discuss this with GMW or Diversions officer.
Restrictions and rosters (Ovens and King systems only)
In dry years and during dry months, access to water may be subject to rosters and restrictions. They are required on unregulated streams across the region to share water between irrigation users, domestic and stock needs and to protect flows for the environment. Rules for rosters and restrictions are described in Local Management Rules for each catchment. Information regarding streams that are currently on restriction in your area can be obtained by visiting our up-to-date roster and restrictions web page at www.gmwater.com.au/rosters-and-restrictions
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Unregulated surface diversion customers
Unregulated surface diversion customers source their water directly from rivers, streams and lakes and rely on natural stream flows. There are over 150,000 km of unregulated rivers and waterways and around more than 7400 customers on these systems in our region. Surface diversion customers hold a licence to take and use water and a licence to operate works. These allow you to take and use water for domestic and/or stock, irrigation or commercial purposes. A licence specifies how much water you can take and use each year. Licences also contain conditions about your maximum extraction rate and a range of other obligations you are required to comply with.
In a small number of cases water can be taken for domestic and/or stock purposes without a licence under what is known as a Private Right. To establish whether this is available, you must lodge a ‘Private Right Determination’ application with us. All other water users need a licence before taking water.
Access to water
A positive relationship with our customers is essential to ensure the effective sharing of water resources between all users, including the environment. To provide a reliable service, customers should:
- abide by licence conditions
- care for works and waterways and prevent damage to them
- provide our employees with safe access to meters and waterways on their properties
- report if their meter is not working
- keep informed about issues and changes to services.
Managing unregulated surface water resources
We are responsible for ensuring that restrictions and rosters, passing flow requirements, trading zones and water resource objectives are effectively managed. We sometimes do this through a statutory management plan, or more commonly through Local Management Rules.
Local Management Rules
We actively manage 93 separate unregulated catchments across our region. Local Management Rules document management arrangements for unregulated surface water, such as water sharing roster arrangements, restriction triggers, passing environmental flow arrangements and trading zones. They also set out objectives and rules for managing flows in each catchment. You can download your Local Management Rules from our website.
Water Management Plans (Conjunctive Groundwater and Surface Water Management)
Where there is a strong connection between water resources (e.g. groundwater and surface water), these resources are managed together and called conjunctive management. In our area the Upper Ovens Water Management Plan is the only conjunctive management plan to manage groundwater and surface water as one resource.
Restrictions and rosters
In dry years and during dry months, access to water may be subject to rosters and restrictions. They are required on unregulated streams across the region to share water between irrigation users, domestic and stock needs and to protect flows for the environment. Rules for rosters and restrictions are described in Local Management Rules for each catchment. Information regarding streams that are currently on restriction in your area can be obtained by visiting our up to date roster and restrictions web page at www.gmwater.com.au/rosters-and-restrictions
Metering
Meter readings are taken at least annually. Some are read more frequently for billing and verification of usage. Customers will need to contact their local GMW Diversion Inspector to confirm the need to meter any new works associated with your licence. Metering is a Victorian Government policy to improve management of surface water resources.
Meters are supplied and installed at the customer’s expense. GMW will provide customers with the necessary information required to purchase and install a flow meter. The installation can be carried out by customers (under instruction from GMW to ensure standards are met) or alternatively it can arrange for GMW to carry out the installation. It is the customer’s obligation to provide a safe works site when carrying out by GMW. Once a meter is installed it becomes the property of GMW. Please contact your local Customer Service Centre if you have queries about your metering requirements.
Meter readings are taken throughout the year with the final reading undertaken before 30 June. Customers may also contact us on 1800 013 357 with an updated meter reading during the year.
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Groundwater customers
We have the responsibility for licensing and managing parts of northern Victoria’s groundwater resources playing a vital role in ensuring groundwater use is sustainable. We issue licences to construct and operate bores as well as to take and use groundwater and ensure the needs of existing water users and the environment are managed equitably.
Groundwater service
A groundwater service is comprised of two licences:
- A licence to take and use groundwater - This licence contains conditions relating to the extraction and use of groundwater and specifies the licensed volume that can be taken. This licence is required to extract groundwater unless it is only being used for domestic and stock purposes.
- A licence to operate works - This relates to the use of the bore (or other works) and has conditions that the licence holder must comply with to minimise adverse impacts on the environment and other water users.
Metering
A meter is located at your outlet so an accurate measurement of the water you have used can be obtained. These measurements assist with management of the groundwater resource as well as licence compliance.
Meter readings are taken at least annually. Some are read more frequently for billing and verification of usage. Customers will need to contact their local Diversion Inspector to confirm the need to meter any new works associated with your licence. Metering is a Victorian Government policy to improve management of surface water resources.
Meters are supplied and installed at the customer’s expense. GMW will provide customers with the necessary information required to purchase and install a flow meter. The installation can be carried out by customers (under instruction from GMW to ensure standards are met) or alternatively it can arrange for GMW to carry out the installation. It is the customer’s obligation to provide a safe works site when carrying out by GMW. Once a meter is installed it becomes the property of GMW. Please contact your local Customer Service Centre if you have queries about your metering requirements.
Meters are read at least once a year to account for water usage up to 30 June. Additional meter reads may be undertaken if they are specified in the relevant management plan for your area, available on our website or by phoning us on 1800 013 357.
Groundwater Management Units
A Groundwater Management Unit (GMU) is a defined area where the extraction of groundwater is managed according to specific rules (typically in a management plan). A GMU boundary can be based on a number of factors including aquifer extent and density of usage.
Groundwater Management Areas
A Groundwater Management Area (GMA) is an area where groundwater has been intensively used or has the potential to be. Local management plans are developed in GMAs to clearly document specific management objectives and describe water sharing arrangements that apply to all users in that area. Plans document the total volume of groundwater that may be licensed, how trading may be undertaken, whether carryover is available and how the resource will be monitored. Groundwater levels are monitored quarterly in most GMAs using the state’s observation bore network. Allocations are issued in June.
Water Supply Protection Areas
A Water Supply Protection Area (WSPA) is an area where groundwater is used intensively and the aquifer is showing signs of stress. WSPAs require more intensive management and monitoring than a GMA generally due to there being higher risk of groundwater resource impacts due to groundwater extraction. A statutory Groundwater Management Plan must be developed in a WSPA to define available resources, management objectives and specific rules such as seasonal restriction arrangements, any limits on use, trading rules and carryover. The objective of the plan is to ensure groundwater resources are managed equitably and sustainability. For a comprehensive guide to groundwater resource management please visit our website.
To find out more about individual GMAs and WSPAs, go to How is groundwater managed?
Groundwater trading
Trading rules are in place for each GMA or WSPA. These rules can be found in the relevant areas management plan. Groundwater trading rules for each area can be accessed on our website at How do I trade groundwater?
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Contact us
We are here to help, at a time and place that’s convenient for you. You can visit us at your local Customer Service Centre or contact us by phone, email, fax or post.
Our Call Centre 1800 013 357
You can contact our Call Centre team between 8.30am and 4.30pm weekdays, excluding public holidays for information about your account or water service.
Emergencies (24 hours) 1800 064 184
Contact our emergency line for any environmental, operational or compliance emergencies. This number is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Your Local Diversions Inspector
Our friendly Diversions operational team members are based at our Customer Service Centres in Wangaratta, Cobram, Shepparton and Rochester. Use the map below to find out what diversions zone you are in and the Diversions Inspector responsible for your zone.