If you're planning to construct or alter a groundwater bore, you need to apply for a licence before you can start works.

This is so that we can record all bore activity in the region, ensuring responsible construction practices and use of underground water resources, as well as protecting community safety.

How to apply

There are two ways you can apply for a bore licence:

1. Apply online with the Victorian Water Register (external web link).

• Only for domestic, stock, investigation, observation or monitoring bore construction licences.
• The application process will take approximately 15 minutes.
• Payments are made online using your credit or debit card.

2. Apply directly to us by filling out an Application for a Licence to Construct, Decommission or Alter a Bore (81kB).

• Complete the form making sure all relevant information is provided.
• Either mail or email the form, payment and copies of supporting documents to GWMWater.

Licensed groundwater drillers

If your application is approved, you'll need a licensed driller to do the actual works.

It's very important to use a licensed driller. An unlicensed driller is a risk to not only themselves, but the people around them. By using a licensed driller you are protecting underground water resources and community safety.

Groundwater Licenced Drillers 

Contact Us

If you're having any issues with this process, feel free to contact us.

Whether you need support paying your bill, or just helpful ways to manage your payments, we’re here to listen and assist you where we can.

We offer confidential, personalised assistance to our customers experiencing difficulties in paying their account.

We understand changes in life can happen at any time and you may find yourself experiencing financial hardship which makes it difficult to manage your water account.

Options available include:

1. Flexible Payment Agreements
2. Payment Cards
3. Centrepay*
4. Direct Debit
5. Government concessions where eligible
6. Undetectable Water Leak Rebates
7. Utility Relief Grants
8. Customer Support Program

We will assist and offer support where we can, including referral assistance to confidential and independent financial counselling.

To discuss how we can assist you, please phone us on 1300 659 961 or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Payment options and assistance

Customer Support Policy

Will GWMWater disconnect my water if I don't pay my bill?

Water is an essential service and we don't disconnect your water for non-payment.

However, we may take legal action or restrict your water supply to two litres per minute due to non-payment if:

• more than 14 days have lapsed since the issue of a reminder notice
• we've sent a final notice including information on GWMWater’s Customer Support Policy and other programs that are available to help you with payment difficulties
• we've attempted to make contact with you about the non-payment
• we've notified you of the restriction or legal action and the associated costs, including the cost of removing a restrictor
• we've offered or agreed to a flexible payment plan, and you've refused or failed to comply with the arrangement.

Our commitment to Family Violence awareness

We are committed to providing respectful and confidential assistance to customers who are impacted by family violence.

Our Family Violence Policy provides the framework which informs our decisions and the actions taken in dealing with customers experiencing family violence. It also provides information on the assistance that is available to those who are affected.

This policy also ensures that we satisfy our obligations under the Essential Services Commission Customer Service Codes for urban and rural water businesses.

Public access to our facilities is generally restricted. This is to ensure public safety, protect the quality of the water and minimise potential damage to our facilities. 'Our facilities' basically refers to anything that is GWMWater property, from our offices in Horsham through to our natural resources such as Lake Lonsdale. Facilities of ours include:

• reservoirs and lakes
• pump stations
• treatment plants
• work sites
• depots, offices and buildings.

Don't trespass!

Anyone accessing GWMWater facilities without authorisation is trespassing! This means that unless you're visiting a public area or being accompanied by a GWMWater employee in the course of their duties, you're breaking the law.

You'll see signage similar to this one at all our facilities to advise the public and reasonably restrict access. However, we can't accept responsibility for any loss, injury or damage that happens to unauthorised people who are trespassing on our property.

If feasible, a pipeline extension will reach into agricultural areas where traditionally there has been reliable rainfall. With the prospect of an ongoing drier climate, agricultural productivity and growth could be enhanced in this region by the installation of a reticulated water delivery network.

A piped water supply could also provide ongoing water security for the townships of Edenhope and Harrow as well as significant economic, social, recreational and environmental benefits to the region.

Status Update

The Project Steering Committee has endorsed the business case and formally submitted it to the government for funding in October 2018.

Landholders still interested in securing a water supply that have not yet lodged an expression of interest form are still encouraged to do so.

Service area

The project area to be investigated encompasses the south eastern corner of the West Wimmera Shire, Horsham Rural City Council and South Grampians Shire.

The project area is not defined as it will be determined by the extent of interested landholders.

If sufficient interest in the vicinity of the project area nominated is obtained, a detailed design will take place to provide piped water to the farm gate.

 West Grampians Rural Pipeline Proposed Service Area (308kB)

Benefits to the community

A secure water supply to the West Grampians area will deliver many potential benefits:

• allow existing agricultural enterprises to consolidate and expand knowing they have access to a reliable, high quality water supply 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• encourage new enterprises and investment to the region with the certainty of continued access to water.

•  improve the water supply security to the townships of Harrow and Edenhope.

•  increase environmental benefits for local waterways and wetlands by removing the reliance on catchment dams, which may enhance inflows into the Glenelg River.

•  provide recreational and social benefits with the possibility of releasing some water into Lake Wallace or alternative waterbodies.

Read some case studies about how connecting to rural piped water has benefited landholders in our community.

Connect to the pipeline

Landholders within the project boundary are encouraged to lodge an Expression of Interest to connect to the pipeline.

 Download the Expression of Interest Form (939kB).

More information about connecting to the West Grampians Rural Pipeline