What is the Anglesea borefield
The Anglesea borefield comprises seven production bores across two sites that tap into the Lower Eastern View Formation (LEVF) – a vast underground aquifer which extends up to 700 metres below the surface, stretching from the Otway foothills to the Southern Ocean.
Once activated, groundwater from the Lower Eastern View Formation (LEVF), is pumped to a pre-treatment plant before travelling 20 kilometres to the Wurdee Boluc Reservoir where it is mixed with surface water from the Otway Ranges.
The Anglesea borefield is a key part of our balanced approach to providing greater water security to the region.
Anglesea borefield bulk entitlement review and amendment
In October 2024 we submitted a review of our bulk entitlement that governs the sustainable use of the Anglesea borefield to DEECA and the Minister for Water. This review was accepted by the Minister in December 2024 and is now available in the document library.
We are now working to adopt any improvements identified as part of this review and incorporate them into the ongoing management of the Anglesea borefield through an application to amend our bulk entitlement.
The amendments are not seeking to increase our extraction volumes, rather these focus on ensuring the triggers and controls, including monitoring, continue to be adequate for protection of the environmental values and health of groundwater dependent ecosystems into the future.
Anglesea borefield re-commenced operation in July
Due to ongoing dry conditions and low storage levels, we re-commenced operation of the Anglesea borefield in July 2025.
Once activated, groundwater from the Lower Eastern View Formation (LEVF), is pumped to a pre-treatment plant before travelling 20 kilometres to the Wurdee Boluc Reservoir where it is mixed with surface water from the Otway Ranges. Water from the Wurdee Boluc reservoir is then filtered, chlorinated and fluoridated, before supplying homes and businesses in Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Torquay, the Bellarine Peninsula, and suburbs in the Greater Geelong Region.
Environmental monitoring will continue throughout the extraction period, and we will continue to keep you updated about the borefield and our monitoring program.
For more information on Geelong’s water storages go to Geelong region - Barwon Water.
If you would like to be kept up to date, join our project database by emailing projects@barwonwater.vic.gov.au.
Anglesea borefield community drop-in information sessions
Thank you to everyone who joined us at our community drop-in information sessions to learn about the improvements we identified as part of our bulk entitlement review, the proposed amendments to our bulk entitlement, and how we’re responding to ongoing dry conditions.
Please see the posters we shared at the information sessions in the Document Library.
If you missed us, we will also be at the ANGAIR Wildflower and Arts Show on 20 and 21 September, in the Memorial Hall on McMillan St.
We hope to see you there!
More information
You can read more about the role the borefield plays in our region’s water security, and how it is managed to highest environmental standards, in the document library section of this page.
If you would like further information or have any questions, please contact our friendly team via projects@barwonwater.vic.gov.au or 1300 656 007.
