The CWA are grateful to the Inquiry for accepting our late submission.
It can be found on the Victorian Parliamentary website here: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/49ffaf/contentassets/54391cb09f394ae994142080c51a9ef0/submission-documents/286.-concerned-waterways-alliance_redacted.pdf
Our Key Messages
- Waterways as Climate Refuges: Healthy rivers and wetlands cool urban areas, reduce flood risk, sustain biodiversity, and provide essential water supplies. Yet they remain undervalued in planning and climate adaptation.
- Mounting Pressures: Climate change is intensifying challenges including:
- Reduced river flows and over-extraction of water.
- Increased pollution from wastewater treatment plants.
- More severe flooding due to outdated stormwater infrastructure.
- Erosion and sedimentation undermining both ecosystems and built assets.
- Accelerating private dam development further depleting flows.
- Governance Gaps: Overlapping responsibilities, limited funding, and lack of community input are stalling progress on integrated waterway protection.
- Planning Shortcomings: Current regulations often fail to prioritise natural infrastructure or proactively assess risks to waterways.
Our Recommendations
CWA called for urgent reforms to strengthen resilience, including:
- Stronger Protections: Expand riparian buffers, protect floodplains, and enhance catchment planning.
- Smarter Stormwater Management: Update design standards to reflect increased impermeable surfaces and intensifying rainfall.
- Wastewater Upgrades: Modernise treatment plants to prevent water quality decline as flows diminish.
- Integrated Governance: Establish frameworks embedding waterways in all infrastructure planning.
- Community Engagement: Fund local stewardship programs and open up planning forums to informed community voices.
- New Inquiry: Initiate a dedicated parliamentary inquiry into the health of rivers, waterways, and marine environments to address cumulative threats.
Our Conclusion
Our submission emphasised that waterways are not just environmental assets—they are critical infrastructure for climate resilience. Without stronger protections, integrated planning, and investment, Victoria risks compounding the impacts of climate change on both people and ecosystems.