What is the 2027 Urban Water Strategy?
Our 2027 Urban Water Strategy will set out our 50-year plan to have enough water to meet the needs of our communities, businesses, agriculture and industry, for cultural values and to improve the health of our waterways.
Don’t be concerned about the “urban” label. The rural, coastal and agricultural municipality of Bass Coast is included, along with its permanent and holiday populations across distinct serviced areas.
Our region is growing, and our climate is becoming hotter and drier, increasing demand for water. At the same time, less water is flowing into our storages.
To respond, we are exploring a mix of water savings, water smarts and alternative water sources, but good planning takes time, which is why we need to start preparing.
Actions in the 2027 Urban Water Strategy will be costed into our 2028 Price Submission.
And that’s where you come in.
We want to understand what matters to you and our community as we shape our water future, together.
You’ll need to be a customer or reside in our service area and be aged 16 years+.
We encourage expressions of interest from customers of all backgrounds and lived experiences. We particularly welcome interest from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people living with disability, members of the LGBTIQA+ community, young people, older adults, and customers from across our service area.
What does this mean for you?
Water plays a vital role in our everyday lives. From supporting our health and the environment to communities and our economy here in the Bass Coast Region.
Your feedback will play an important role in understanding customers’ expectations for water security and drought preparedness. Feedback will help shape future infrastructure and investment actions to be costed into our 2028 Price Submission.
Ultimately, helping us make decisions about where to invest and what to prioritise in the short and long-term, to deliver water security for our customers, the community, Traditional Owners and the environment.
Frequently asked questions
What is an Urban Water Strategy?
All Victorian water businesses are required to engage with their customers and local communities to develop their Urban Water Strategies (UWS).
These strategies identify the best mix of actions to manage demand for and ensure sufficient supplies of drinking water across our service region for the next 50 years.
Actions are updated every 5 years and will be costed in our 2028 Price Submission.
How is an Urban Water Strategy developed?
We will engage with our customers, community and key stakeholders to understand what matters as we shape our water future, together.
In parallel to, and to help inform our engagement, we will also undertake significant technical analysis to support our understanding of the challenges we face and the options we might implement in response.
How can I provide feedback?
In 2025, we received your feedback on willingness to pay for levels of services. See ‘What we’ve heard so far’.
A Customer Panel is being formed in August to help us review water supply options to meet future demand and improve water security.
This will not be the last time you hear from us about this strategy.
The draft Urban Water Strategy 2027 will be available for public comment in late 2026.
We will consider your feedback on the draft strategy when we develop the final Urban Water Strategy.
We expect to finalise the Urban Water Strategy by mid-2027.
We will continue to keep you informed as the strategy progresses.
Timelines
Collection Notice
This Privacy Collection Notice relates to all feedback collected by Westernport Water for the 2027 Urban Water Strategy.
Your feedback will help us make decisions about where to invest and what to prioritise in the short and long-term, to deliver water security for our customers, the community, Traditional Owners and the environment.
If you have chosen to leave your name and email address for project updates, your personal details will be protected in line with our Privacy Charter at Personal Privacy Charter 2023
Our Privacy Charter outlines the practices and policies for the collection, use and management of personal information.
IP addresses are not collected for any surveys received.
Thank you for your interest.
Page updated 15 July 2026
