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
Gardens - hand watering |
Lawns - hand watering |
Watering systems |
|
STAGE 1 |
YES | YES |
YES 6 am to 10 am and 6 pm to 10 pm on alternate days |
STAGE 2 |
YES | NO |
YES 6 am to 10 am and 6 pm to 10 pm on alternate days |
STAGE 3 |
YES From 6 am - 8 am |
NO |
YES 6 am to 8 am on alternate days |
STAGE 4 |
YES With a bucket or watering can |
NO | NO |
Pools and spas
Pool Capacity |
|
|
||
Under 2,000 L |
|
Over 2,000 L |
||
| Fill up | Top up | Fill up | Top up | |
STAGE 1 |
YES | YES | NO | YES |
STAGE 2 |
YES | YES | NO | YES |
STAGE 3 |
NO | YES | NO | YES |
STAGE 4 |
NO | NO | NO | NO |
Washing your vehicle
STAGE 1 and 2 |
YES |
STAGE 3 and 4 |
NO Only for health and safety reasons |
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.
ExemptionsGeneralExemptions may be granted if GWMWater considers that reasonable grounds have been presented. As a part of the process, you may need to place a Submission of a Water Conservation Plan to GWMWater. All applications for exemption will be responded to in writing within 10 business days of receipt.
Large poolsThe filling of large pools is limited under water restrictions. If you want to fill a pool with a capacity over 2,000 L, you'll need permission from GWMWater.
If you need help, call us on 1300 659 961. |
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.
See our Trade Waste Information Package Booklet to help you understand your rights and responsibilities.
Trade Waste Consent or Agreements
Before discharging trade waste, all businesses using a commercial property for their commercial or industrial processes must enter into a Trade Waste Consent or 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 Consent or Agreement. Category 0 need not apply as they are automatically entered into a Trade Waste Consent.
Apply to discharge trade waste
How to change or cancel your Trade Waste Consent or Agreement
Trade waste categories
Non-major trade waste
These are generally business types in the table below:
Food preparation |
Petrol, Oil, Grease |
Photographic, X-Ray |
Other Process |
| Bakeries | Radiator repairs | Photo processing | Specialist doctor (plaster) |
| Boarding houses (B&B) | Auto wreckers | Dental | Hobby clubs/crafts |
| Butchers | Lawn mower repairs | X-Ray and radiation devices (including medical practices) | Laundromats/dry-cleaners |
| Cafeterias | Mechanical workshops | Photographic | Boilers |
| Canteens | Engine/gearbox reconditioning | Kennels | |
|
Clubs (with hot food preparation) |
Panel beating/spray painting | Building services (air conditioning) | |
| Coffee/sandwich shops | Vehicle washing | Food/chemical processing manufacturing | |
| Commercial kitchens | Service station | Fish- fresh (retail store) | |
| Community halls | Car detailing | Municipal pool | |
| Delicatessen | Morgue | ||
| Donuts (in stand alone shops, bakeries or bread shops) | Septic tank contractors/portable toilet wastes | ||
| Function centres | |||
| Garbage washes | |||
| Hot take-away foods | |||
| Hotels | |||
| Hot bread kitchens | |||
| Ice-cream parlours | |||
| Hospitals | |||
| Motels | |||
| Restaurants | |||
| Take-aways | |||
| Schools (home science rooms) |
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:
Parameter |
Concentration Threshold(< means less than) |
| Biological Oxygen Demand | < 600 mg/L |
| Suspended Solids | < 600 mg/L |
| Nitrogen | < 150 mg/L |
| Phosphorus | < 30 mg/L |
| Total Dissolved Solids | < 200 kg/day |
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 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.
Trade waste grease trap size requirements
Restaurant
Seating |
Discharge rate (litres discharged per day) |
Grease trap size required (litres) |
| 1 to 15 | 100 | 100 |
| 16 to 38 | 600 | 600 |
| 39 to 69 | 1100 | 1000 |
| 70 to 199 | 3200 | 1500 |
| 200 to 399 | 6400 | 2000 |
| 400 to 599 | 9600 | 3000 |
| 600 to 799 | 12800 | 4000 |
| 800 to 1000 | 16000 | 5000 |
Accommodation
Motel (number of rooms) |
Hospital/Nursing Home (number of beds) |
Discharge rate (litres discharged per day) |
Grease trap size required (litres) |
| Up to 50 | 1 to 69 | 1100 | 1000 |
| Up to 100 | 70 to 199 | 3200 | 1500 |
| Up to 200 | 200 to 399 | 6400 | 2000 |
| Up to 300 | 400 to 599 | 9600 | 3000 |
| Up to 500 | 600 to 799 | 12800 | 4000 |
| 800 to 1000 | 16000 | 5000 |
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 93 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.
Our vision, purpose, strategy and values are an essential part of our culture at GWMWater. We incorporate these into every action we take - whether it's providing assistance over the phone, fixing a service fault, or encouraging regional growth for our local communities.
Our vision
Vital services for thriving communities.
Our purpose
Enhance prosperity and liveability in our communities through sustainable, quality and affordable water and other essential services.
Our strategy statement
We provide affordable water services for our communities by sustaining infrastructure and looking for ways to enhance our region. We do this through strong community connections, innovative technology and a skilled workforce.
Our valuesSafe and secureRespect and prioritise everyone’s safety, security and wellbeing.
Together with our communitiesWorking with, and for, our communities.
Reliable through changeAdapt and innovate to deliver services when and where they are needed.
Big steps, small footprintConsider the impact of our actions on future generations. |
Further information...GWMWater is a government-owned statutory corporation established in 2004 with a responsibility to provide, manage, operate and protect water supply and sewerage systems for our community.
|
At GWMWater we take great pride in our team of expert, professional and customer-focused employees. We employ a large number of staff across the region in areas such as engineering, customer service, communications, finance, operations and more.
GWMWater is one of the largest regional water corporations in Victoria and offers exciting career opportunities for all employees.
Our corporate headquarters is in Horsham, the capital of the beautiful Wimmera region, only three hours from Melbourne or the magnificent Victorian South West Coast. The region boasts access to many national parks including the Grampians and Mt Arapiles. Horsham offers a warm and welcoming community for those wanting a safe and healthy rural lifestyle, and the town boasts first-class health, educational, cultural, sporting and social facilities.
Read GWMWater; A Great Place to Work - Brochure to learn more about what it's like working with us at GWMWater or check out the Visit Wimmera Mallee website.
At GWMWater we're committed to:
- Supporting staff, suppliers and contractors in achieving zero harm
- Offering a flexible and stimulating workplace
- Investing in our people so we can adapt to the changing needs of our region
- Building the capacity and culture of our people into a more highly-skilled, professional, customer-focused and efficient organisation
GWMWater is an equal employment opportunity employer and provides a smoke-free work environment.
Sign up for job alerts
Subscribe to receive GWMWater job alerts emails straight to your inbox
Current Vacancies
This role is based in the Mallee area
Are you ready to take the lead in delivering water and wastewater services across the Mallee region?
We’re looking for a confident and energetic leader to guide our dedicated operations teams in Birchip, Hopetoun, Ouyen and Swan Hill.
In this pivotal role, you’ll guide a group of passionate Team Leaders, champion safe and efficient work practices, and drive operational excellence across our assets. From optimising maintenance schedules to mentoring future leaders, your influence will help shape the way we serve our communities.
If you’re a proactive leader with a passion for customer service, and the ability to inspire teams to deliver their best, we want to hear from you!
Applications close: Friday 15 August 2025
GWMWater contact:
Michael Schneider, Acting Executive Manager Service Delivery on 1300 659 961 during business hours
View this and other vacancies at careers.vic.gov.au
Staff testimonials
Ever wondered what it's like working at GWMWater? Watch the videos below from some of our employees to find out more...
Laura Priestley, our Water Services Operator, talks about her career transition from working as a chef to joining our Water Services team.
Amy Harding, our Customer Service Officer, talks about her experience joining the GWMWater Customer Service team.
Nalaka Vitharana, our Executive Manager Infrastructure, talks about his career journey to Executive as well as leadership opportunities at GWMWater.
Lisa Warrick, our Learning and Development Coordinator, talks about her career journey at GWMWater, from the Customer Service team through to the People, Talent & Culture team.
Katherine Velthuis, our Finance Officer, talks about how her career has progressed and the training opportunities she has been given, since joining the GWMWater team.
Stephanie Merlicek, our Environmental Sustainability Officer, shares the challenges, surprises and advice she would give to others considering making the move to our region.
Josh Turco, our Graduate Engineer, shares what it was like relocating to the region and joining the GWMWater team.
Preparing your application
Your application should comprise three things:
- Your CV detailing your employment history, educational qualifications and contact details.
- A cover letter including a summary of your experience and achievements that relate to the key selection criteria outlined in the position description.
- A statement addressing the key selection criteria.
Reference checking
Two work related references should be supplied with your application. These should be individuals who can comment directly on your abilities in a work situation.
Our recruitment process
Assessment
All applications are assessed by a selection panel. Each member of the selection panel compares the information from each applicant with the position description selection criteria, as well as against the other applicants.
Interview
If you're selected for interview, we'll invite you to meet us for a discussion about your skills and experiences in relation to the role.
At this point, we may also:
- have a chat with your referees to get a better understanding of you as a person and your suitability for the role
- ask you to undergo Psychometric Testing, simply as part of the selection process.
Offer
If we'd like to offer you a position:
- We may ask that you take a medical examination, depending on the role. This is so we're sure that we won't be risking your health as part of your role.
- You may also be required to undergo a police/criminal record check depending on the role.
If all goes well: Congratulations! We welcome you to GWMWater!
Our work environment
We offer great working conditions, and a variety of interesting and creative work.
- Friendly and supportive
- Committed to diversity and equal employment opportunity
- Health and wellbeing program and active social club
- Community-minded
- Team-oriented
We understand that staff and their families sometimes may need someone to talk to help guide them through a problem – whether it be on-the-job or personal matters. To assist our employees through these times we have engaged Optum to provide staff with confidential counselling through its Employment Assistance Program (EAP). More information.
Flexibility
A flexible workplace is a happy workplace! We recognise the importance of a work-life balance.
- Flexible work arrangements
- Family-friendly
Professional development
We believe that we can offer superior services to our customers when we invest in the development of our staff.
- Mentoring
- Willing to share knowledge
- Challenging career opportunities
- Employee development opportunities
Rewards and recognition
We reward our people with great entitlements and fair pay.
- Salary sacrifice (superannuation)
- Reward and recognition program
- Competitive remuneration and salary packaging
- Access to Local Government Employees Health Plan
Career pathways: Where do you fit in?
Career pathways for our staff are numerous. Some staff come direct from secondary school and complete traineeships or other ‘on-the-job’ training. Other staff have done tertiary qualifications before starting with us.
All staff regularly update their knowledge and often take further training or qualifications.
The diagram below shows indicative training levels, which may vary with the skills of the person involved or changes in the role.
Privacy
By making an application, you consent to the collection, use, storage and removal of your personal information, including the details of your referees. At all times during the recruitment process, this information is treated in a highly confidential manner. All documents are held in secure storage and made available only to members of the selection panel.
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