Fill your dams & tanks to secure your winter water supply

GMW does not guarantee water supply (including domestic and stock) during the irrigation off-season (15 May to 15 August).

Your channel could be drawn down at any point during the winter period. Even if there is water in your channel it may not be suitable for use due to works such as weed treatment.

We encourage you  to plan your winter water needs and consider filling your dams and tanks before 15 May to guarantee a winter water supply.

Why does GMW need to dewater channels?

Each year, in the three months between irrigation seasons (15 May to 15 August), GMW dewaters parts of its channel network to undertake crucial maintenance works on assets, such as gates and regulators that are below the waterline, channel remediation and for weed control and treatment.

Dewatering also allows us to inspect more of our channel network, which helps us prioritise future maintenance works and guarantee delivery during the water season.

What’s the cut-off date for ordering water?

• The last day to order water is 10 May.
• The annual irrigation off-season is 15 May to 15 August
• Plan now to fill your tanks and dams.

I'm a domestic and stock customer - where can I get water?

• Contact a water carter. Please note that because of the relatively dry conditions and increased demand the more notice you can give water carters the better.
• Apply for a domestic and stock bore. Speak to a driller and apply for a bore construction licence for domestic and stock purposes. The quickest and cheapest way to do this is to set up an online My Water account via the Victorian Water Register (scan the QR code below for more information).  

• Emergency water supply points. Find out where the nearest one is via the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action webage.
  
  
• Please note: These options are at the cost of the customer.

More information about how people can prepare for the end of the irrigation season can be found on the GMW website: www.g-mwater.com.au/customer-services-resources/end-of-season

During this year’s irrigation off-season we’ll be undertaking an aquatic weed treatment program to improve flow rates in our channel system.

In some parts of the irrigation system, submersed aquatic weeds such as Sagittaria, Ribbon weed and Egeria are choking GMW’s channels.

The weeds affect water flow, promote silting and cause problems with the automated regulators, which can reduce the ability to deliver water to our customers.

Treating submersed aquatic weeds ensures a more consistent water supply for our customers.

Limited in-season options are available for the control of submersed aquatic weeds. This year, GMW will be using herbicide to treat aquatic weeds in various channels impacted by submersed weeds.

What will happen?

During the non-irrigation period from 15 May to 14 August 2025 the following will occur:

• Water will remain in the channel system until the end of the irrigation season (last day of the season is 15 May 2025).

• Herbicide will be applied into the static water to treat the aquatic weeds. From the time of application, there is a no water use period which will end prior to the start of the next irrigation season.

• Water will be available for delivery from 15 August 2025 - the first day of the new irrigation season.

What does this mean for crops and stock?

In diluted form, the herbicide GMW uses has a very low toxicity to humans and mammals, however there is a withhold period that needs to be followed.

Livestock should not ingest the channel water as traces of the chemical may register in their produce.

Horticulture and broad-acre crops must not be sprayed with channel water during this time.

What you need to do

Before the treatment of your channels, you will need to:

• Make alternative arrangements for winter domestic and stock water supplies as you cannot rely on water remaining in the irrigation channels over the winter period.

• Prevent stock from accessing the channel.

More information