The Department of Health has developed guidance notes to help water agencies (water suppliers and water storage managers) comply with the Victorian safe drinking water regulatory framework.
We will progressively update guidance to assist with compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Regulations 2025.
Safe Drinking Water Act 2003
Regulated water (section 6)
'Regulated water' refers to water that is not intended for drinking but could be mistaken as drinking water.
The Minister for Health can declare a water supply as regulated water to protect public health.
Suppliers of regulated water need to have an audited risk management plan to prevent people from mistaking the supply as drinking water.
Notice of a regulated water declaration is published in the Victoria Government Gazette.
The department's Health Regulator works with water suppliers to identify regulated water supplies and advises the Minister for Health whether or not these should be declared as regulated water.
Exemptions (section 20)
Water suppliers can seek exemptions from water quality standards.
For more information, see Exemptions from drinking water quality standards.
Water supplier and water storage manager annual reports (section 26)
Water agencies need to provide an annual report to the department and the public every financial year detailing their water quality and providing details of their regulated water supplies.
This annual report must be given to the department by 31 October each year and made available to the public.
For more information, see Drinking water quality annual reports.
Undertakings (section 30)
Water agencies can apply for an undertaking if they are likely to violate the Safe Drinking Water Act 2003 (the Act) or the Safe Drinking Water Regulations 2025 (the Regulations).
Undertakings detail how a water agency would address a violation of the Act or the Regulations and stop it from happening again.
Examples of when a water agency may apply for an undertaking are:
- If one or more of the water quality standards are not being met.
- If a risk management plan will not be completed by the specified date.
Notifications and reports (sections 18 and 22)
Section 18 of the Act applies when drinking water does not comply, or is unlikely to comply, with the standards.
Section 22 of the Act applies when drinking water may not be safe or cause widespread public complaint.
If drinking water is suspected of being contaminated, a boil water advisory may be issued. The Australian drinking water guidelines 2011 includes Guidance for issuing and lifting boil water advisories.
See Drinking water reports and notifications for more information.
Guidance has been developed to assist water agencies to comply with sections 18 and 22 of the Safe Drinking Water Act 2003 and regulation 20 under the Safe Drinking Water Regulations 2025.
Safe Drinking Water Regulations 2025
Regulation 20
Water suppliers are required to give analysis results to the Secretary that indicate:
- a contravention of a drinking water quality standard
- in the reasonable opinion of the water supplier, the level of a characteristic measured in the water may pose a risk to public health or result in widespread public complaint.
Guidance has been developed to assist water suppliers to comply with regulation 20 under the Safe Drinking Water Regulations 2025.
Water sampling areas
A water sampling area is a designated area where collected water samples are representative of the drinking water supplied to consumers in that area.
Water suppliers are required to collect drinking water samples from appropriate water sampling areas. These samples must be analysed and assessed against the relevant water quality standards.
A list of local water supplier and sampling areas for each suburb/town can be found at Water suppliers.
Risk management plans
Water agencies must prepare, implement and review risk management plans.
Drinking water quality standards
Water suppliers must ensure their drinking water meets the standards.
Varying sampling frequency
Water suppliers can apply to vary their sampling frequency.
The Secretary can also mandate a change to sampling frequency in the water sampling areas.
Water quality annual report
Water agencies must prepare an annual report on the quality of drinking water and regulated water relating to each financial year as specified by the Regulations.
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