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What you can do

Victoria's waterways need protecting and the community has a vital role to play. The only way to reduce pollution and litter on our shores is to recognise that, at some time, we have all been partly responsible for it. Most of the litter in our bays, rivers and creeks comes directly from suburban streets.

There are many ways we can reduce our impact on the water environment. EPA provides these handy tips on how we can all help keep our waterways clean:

Take action by:

Also view our eight tips for cleaner waterways.

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Conserving water

Victoria is experiencing increasing pressure on its finite water resources. This pressure, combined with increasing community interest in water conservation, has prompted many inquiries to EPA and local councils about reusing household wastewater.

EPA believes that the best approach to water conservation is to reduce water usage and hence wastewater generation – it is better not to generate wastewater in the first place, instead of trying to identify reuse options.

There are many ways to conserve water in the home, such as planting water-efficient gardens, installing water efficient appliances (for example dual flush toilets) and taking shorter showers.

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Reusing household wastewater

EPA recognises that, as well as water conservation, some householders are interested in the possibilities of reusing their household wastewater. EPA has issued the publication Reuse Options for Household Wastewater (Adobe PDF file, 172KB), that looks at the legal and technical issues associated with this practice.

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Reporting polluters

If you observe someone dumping anything down a stormwater drain you can report a complaint to EPA.

Call EPA and report the incident. You should have as many details as possible so that a formal pollution complaint can be made.

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Making litterers pay

Litter dropped in the street will be swept into street drains next time it rains, ending up in our creeks, rivers, beaches and bays.

Report litterers to EPA's 24 hour toll free Litter Report Line on 1800 35 25 55.

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Preventing stormwater pollution

Information on what we can do about stormwater pollution is available.

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Keeping informed

It is important to stay up-to-date with environmental issues. Make an effort to keep informed, and take steps to reduce your impact (ecological footprint) on the environment.

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Eight tips for cleaner waterways

  1. Place your cigarette butts in the bin; don't drop them on the street – Butts dropped in our streets get washed into stormwater drains and end up in our creeks and on our beaches. They account for about half of all litter found on our beaches.
  2. Put your litter in a bin or take it home – All litter dropped on the street follows the same path: through the stormwater system, to our beaches and creeks.
  3. Compost or mulch leaves and grass clippings; don't leave them in the gutter – Leaves and other garden refuse washed into stormwater drains end up polluting our creeks and beaches. Keep your paths, driveways and gutters clear by using a broom rather than a hose. Compost or mulch leaves and grass clippings.
  4. Don't allow paint, turps or cleaners to enter drains - Dispose of unwanted chemicals, solvents and oils responsibly. Never pour chemicals into the gutter or drain. Use regular chemical collections in your area to dispose of chemicals.
  5. Wash your car on grass or at the carwash. Don't allow detergents to enter the gutter – If you wash your car on your driveway or the street, soapy water, mud, oil and grease can flow into drains. If you choose to use a commercial car wash, use one that recycles the wash water.
  6. Have building supplies delivered to your site – If left on the footpath, road or nature strip, the wind and rain will sweep pollutants into stormwater drains.
  7. When cutting bricks and pavers, do it over grassed areas or a container that collects sediment
  8. Take action! If you see someone throwing litter from a car or other vehicle, don't put up with it – make litterers pay. Report them to EPA's 24 hour toll free Litter Report Line on 1800 35 25 55.

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