The Anglesea borefield comprises 7 bores across two sites. These bores tap into the Lower Eastern View Formation – a vast aquifer approximately 700 metres below ground.

The Anglesea borefield is one of a number of water sources that can supplement water supplies for Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Torquay, the Bellarine Peninsula and Geelong.

Bulk entitlement review

Our access to groundwater from the Anglesea borefield is governed by a bulk entitlement, issued by the Victorian Government. The bulk entitlement stipulates the volume of water Barwon Water is able to extract from the Lower Eastern View Formation for drinking purposes.

Our bulk entitlement includes environmental triggers and an extensive monitoring and assessment program designed to protect groundwater dependent ecosystems.

A review of the bulk entitlement and Monitoring and Assessment Program (MAP) is due to the Minister for Water in 2024 – five years from the date that groundwater extraction recommenced. We switched on the Anglesea borefield in November 2019 to supplement drinking water supplies for the Geelong, Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula region, following a record hot and dry start to that year and low water storage levels. We operated it until July 2020.

What will the review tell us?

The bulk entitlement review will confirm how much water can continue to be taken sustainably for a drinking water supply backup, and ensure the ongoing protection of groundwater dependent ecosystems into the future. Our priority is to protect the environment whilst providing high quality, affordable drinking water.

What is involved?

The bulk entitlement review will include reviewing all data collected as part of the monitoring program. This includes groundwater level and quality, surface water level flow and quality, vegetation and ecology, and more.

We’ll be doing a range of modelling, forecasting and impact assessments. This includes identification of associated potential impacts on the environmental values and health of groundwater dependent ecosystems.

In conjunction with the ecologists and risk assessment outputs, we’ll assess the effectiveness of the current monitoring program and triggers, and determine if any changes are needed around trigger levels and locations to ensure ongoing protection of the environment.

Stay up to date

We'll keep the web page updated as the project progresses. For any questions, please contact the project team via: projects@barwonwater.vic.gov.au or 1300 656 007.