We're working with the Macedon Ranges community to share the importance of saving water and how we can work together to make every drop count.

Find out what we’re doing to secure the region’s water supply and share your ideas. We’re visiting events across the region – check the dates on this page to see where you can meet us, or leave your comments below.

Why saving water matters

Much of Victoria, including the Macedon Ranges has been experiencing extremely dry conditions since winter 2023. Last year, local storages dropped by around 20% and Melbourne’s storages recorded their steepest annual decline since the Millennium Drought.

A long-term shift to drier weather, combined with a growing population and rising demand, means saving water is more important than ever – we can all play a part in protecting our storage levels.

What we're doing to secure more water for the future

We're exploring short and long-term solutions to make sure Macedon Ranges continues to have a reliable water supply into the future.

We’re delivering projects across the region to strengthen the water supply:

  • In Lancefield, we’ve built a new 1.6km pipeline to carry water from Bore 3, to strengthen the reliability of the water supply. The amount of groundwater we take from the bore will remain below how much we’re licenced to take.
  • In Romsey, we’re upgrading the water filtration plant to increase drinking water production (from 2.65 million litres up to 4.6 million litres a day).
  • In Riddells Creek, we’re building a new water main to better connect the town to Rosslynne Reservoir, and increasing capacity of the Magnet Hill water tank.
  • As part of our long-term planning, we’re looking into a more direct connection between the Melbourne water supply and Macedon Ranges towns If it goes ahead, construction of the pump and pipe is likely to take several years due to the pipeline’s length and environmental sensitivity of the area.

We maintain our assets to prevent leaks and bursts across our network. In 2025, we saved 61.5 million litres of water in Romsey and 38.6 million litres in Lancefield by finding and fixing leaks.

We’re delivering Victorian Government’s programs for schools and businesses, which includes installing data loggers and conducting audits to help stop leaks and save water.

We’re also working with the Victorian Government and the broader water sector to plan and explore more options for recycled water including purified recycled water, desalination and water efficiency to support long-term water security.

Where your water comes from

Macedon Ranges is supplied by multiple water sources which helps to support a reliable supply. Drinking water in the Macedon Ranges comes from local creeks, reservoirs and groundwater, supplemented by the Melbourne Water supply.

Here’s a map below showing exactly where your water comes from:

Map

Water is a limited resource

Even with multiple water sources available and the measures we’re taking, water is still a limited resource.

After rain, our storages might look full, but ongoing dry conditions and increasing community water use can cause small local storages to drop quickly.

While we can bring water to the Macedon Ranges from Melbourne, it's not a quick fix. There are limits on the amount we can carry and store, so saving water is still important.

What you can do

Share your ideas on saving water

  • Share your ideas on saving water to help us plan for a future where there’s enough water for everyone, we’d love to hear from you. Fill out our survey and tell us:
    • How you’re saving water now, and other ways you’d like to save water in the future
    • Your ideas on how we can help you use less water
    • What makes it hard to save water in your home, garden or daily routine.
    • Do you know the Permanent Water Saving Rules?
  • Your feedback will help shape how we support the Macedon Ranges community to save more water.
  • Look for simple ways to make every drop count every day.
  • That includes using a little less each day to reach Target 150. (150 litres per person, per day)
        • Use the Snap Send Solve app
    • If it’s an emergency – like gushing water – call us 24/7 on 13 44 99.

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