You need to be vigilant in your water use at all times, even when you're not under water restrictions! That's why all Victorian towns are subject to Permanent Water Saving Rules. This way, we can all use water responsibly and contribute to the health of our water supplies. The Rules are in place at all times, except for when staged water restrictions are in force.

The Rules don't apply to the use of recycled or reclaimed water, greywater, stormwater or rainwater. They only apply to water supplied by GWMWater (or whichever relevant water authority you fall under).

The 5 Permanent Water Saving Rules

1. Keep your hose healthy

Your hand-held hose should be fitted with a trigger nozzle and kept leak-free. 

2. Water in the mornings and evenings

Avoid watering during the main daylight hours as this water is likely to evaporate before it can be absorbed by plants and lawns. If you can't water in the mornings or evenings, make sure you use a bucket, watering can or hand-held hose with a trigger nozzle rather than a watering system. If you're using a watering system, you can only water overnight between the hours of 6pm and 10am. 

3. Enjoy your water features responsibly

If you have a pond or water feature, feel free to keep enjoying it! However, in compliance with the rules, make sure it uses recirculated water. 

4. Don't hose hard surfaces

Don't use water to clean hard surfaces, such as driveways, paths, concrete, tiles and timber decking, except:

• where cleaning is needed after an accident, fire, health hazard or other emergency
• when there's staining on the surface (and even then, keep it to once a season)
• in the course of construction or renovation.

In cases where you have to use water to clean a hard surface, be water wise and use a high-pressure water cleaner. If that isn't possible, a hand-held hose with a trigger nozzle or bucket can be used. 

5. The rules are for everyone!

The rules also apply to public gardens, lawns and playing surfaces. We all have to contribute to the water conservation effort. A public garden, lawn or playing surface must be watered using a:

• hand-held hose with a trigger nozzle, a bucket or a watering can or;
• watering system fitted with a rain or soil moisture sensor between the hours of 6pm and 10am.

Customers are urged to abide by the state-wide Permanent Water Saving Rules as contravention may result in penalties in-line with clauses 170E and 170F of the Water Act 1989.

For more information on the Permanent Water Saving Rules, view our Permanent Water Saving Plan.

Legality of water restrictions

Water restrictions are based on the Victorian Government’s four-stage Urban Water Restriction Supply By-Law 105 as adopted by GWMWater.

Customers are urged to abide by these restrictions as contravention may result in penalties of up to $6060 or three months imprisonment for the first offence.

Water restrictions have one primary purpose - to conserve water! The health of the water supply dictates the level of restrictions, Stage 1 being the most mild and Stage 4 being the most severe. Water restrictions apply to everyone in the community, unless exempted by GWMWater.

Note that the information below is just a guideline to staged water restrictions. A lot of restrictions aren't as simple as YES or NO; they're often conditional on times and methods. For full details, refer to Water Restrictions - Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

When using a hose, always use a trigger nozzle so that you're using water efficiently!

Watering the garden

Pools and spas

Washing your vehicle

Alternate days

You will see this term mentioned throughout water restriction rules. It means people can only water their gardens and/or lawns on certain dates of the month according to whether their street number is odd or even-numbered:

Even and un-numbered properties can water on even dates. For example, if you live at number 16 you can water on the 2nd or 4th, but not the 3rd or 5th.

Odd-numbered properties can water on odd dates. For example if you live at number 17, you can water on the 3rd or 5th, but not the 4th or 6th.

On February the 29th and the 31st of any month any property number can water.

Legality of water restrictions

Water restrictions are based on the Victorian Government’s four-stage Water Restrictions By-Law No 105 (5.67MB, 34 pages) as adopted by GWMWater.

Customers are urged to abide by these restrictions as contravention may result in penalties of up to $6060 or three months imprisonment for the first offence.

Trade waste is generally considered to be the liquid waste discharged to a sewer from commercial and industrial processes. Domestic waste from activities like cooking dinner, having a shower or flushing the toilet isn't 'trade waste'.

The problem with trade waste is that it ends up in our sewerage system, which isn't designed for this discharge! GWMWater sewerage systems were designed many years ago to carry predominately domestic wastes, which are generally of a very predictable quality. Unless we closely monitor trade waste discharge, it can put increased stress on the sewerage system and has the potential to create serious problems for public health, the environment and treatment plants, as well as our staff and contractors.

Important - From 1 July 2021, you can't lawfully move reportable priority waste without being fully onboarded into the Environment Protection Authority's Waste Tracker. If you require assistance to complete your sign-up, please call EPA on 1300 372 842. 

Trade Waste Agreements

Before discharging trade waste, all businesses using a commercial property for their commercial or industrial processes must enter into a Trade Waste Agreement with GWMWater.

What type of agreement you apply for and the rules you must comply with depend on the classification of your business. We classify businesses into five categories from Category 0 to Category 4, based on a number of factors, including:

• business location
• volume of discharge
• nature of business activity
• quality of waste
• compliance and performance history
• risk to health and safety, the sewerage system or environment.

Categories 1, 2, 3 and 4 need to complete an application to discharge trade waste in order to enter into a Trade Waste Agreement. Category 0 need not apply as they are automatically entered into a Trade Waste Agreement.

Apply to discharge trade waste

Trade waste categories

Non-major trade waste

These are generally business types in the table below:

Category 0

The lowest category of trade waste producers, this category is for businesses that:

• have trade waste similar of a similar quality to residential waste and;
• discharge only small amounts of trade waste.

If your business is in Category 0, you don't need to make an application to discharge trade waste. On your correspondence from us (such as a water bill) it will be made clear that you're in Category 0 and have entered a default Trade Waste Agreement.

Categories 1 & 2

Category 1 is for businesses discharging:

• mainly kitchen or laundry waste but also includes wash water from places like garages, workshops and school laboratories
• volumes that don't exceed 750 kilolitres per year.

Category 2 is for businesses discharging:

• mainly kitchen or laundry waste but also includes wash water from places like garages, workshops and school laboratories
• trade waste in volumes over 750 kilolitres a year
• trade waste with only low levels of contaminates.

Category 1 and 2 businesses need a 'Consent to Discharge' from us before discharging any trade waste into the sewerage system. A Consent to Discharge is a form of Trade Waste Agreement. To get a Consent to Discharge complete a  Trade Waste Application form : Trade Waste Application form - Word Version

Businesses in these categories will also generally need a pre-treatment device or grease trap installed prior to a Consent to Discharge being issued. View our pre-treatment device and grease trap requirements.

Major trade waste

Major trade waste businesses are bound by the following criteria:

Category 3

We classify Category 3 businesses by their large discharges and the contamination of their waste. Both the volume and nature of their trade waste makes Category 3 establishments a greater risk to our sewer system and treatment processes then category 1 and 2 customers.

Category 3 businesses must complete an application to discharge trade waste and enter into a Trade Waste Agreement before discharging trade waste.

Category 4

Trade Waste from Category 4 business has characteristics that are outside the limits set the Customer Charter and the agreement. However, it's still capable of being treated by GWMWater’s wastewater treatment facility.

Category 4 businesses must complete an application to discharge trade waste and enter into a Trade Waste Agreement before discharging trade waste.

Trade Waste Customer Charter

Information about the trade waste services performed by GWMWater and the respective rights and responsibilities of GWMWater and its customers.

 Trade Waste Customer Charter

 Trade Waste Customer Service Code

Apply to discharge trade waste

Categories 1, 2, 3 and 4 need to complete an application to discharge trade waste in order to enter into a Trade Waste Agreement. Category 0 need not apply as they are automatically entered into a Trade Waste Agreement.

Find out more.

Trade waste grease trap size requirements

Restaurant

Accommodation

We work hard to provide as many of our customers as possible with access to safe, high-quality drinking water that consistently meets consumer and regulatory requirements in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act 2003 and the Safe Drinking Water Regulations 2015. The Department of Health administer the implemention of these standards across Victoria.

Our region has 20 water treatment plants that supply treated water to 92 percent of our urban customers.

• Drinking water is safe for human consumption. It can be used for drinking, cooking, making ice, cleaning your teeth and for showering or bathing. Drinking water is filtered and disinfected to meet the strict guidelines for safe drinking water.
• Non-drinking water isn't disinfected and isn't intended for human consumption. You can still use this water for household activities though, such as watering gardens, flushing toilets, irrigation and laundry purposes. You can also use it for showering or bathing, as long as you're careful to avoid swallowing the water.  Read more about living with an untreated water supply here and view our Untreated Water Supply Notice.

You may be interested in reading about Guidelines for private drinking water supplies at commercial and community facilities.

Check your town's water services

GWMWater is a water supplier within the terms of the Safe Drinking Water Act 2003, which provides a legislative framework for assuring drinking water quality in Victoria. Click on your town in the table below to see if your water is safe to drink and view other information relating to your town.

Drinking water towns

Non-drinking water towns

More about our capital upgrades and renewals program

Drinking water quality test results

GWMWater tests drinking water regularly to ensure it's safe for drinking.

See our drinking water quality test results

Living with an untreated water supply

Learn more about living with an untreated water supply here or contact us to talk to our Water Quality Team.