Water related policies
The Environment Protection Act 1970 focuses on protecting water environments through reducing human impacts. Environmental policies are pivotal in implementing the Act, as they detail what needs to be done to avoid pollution and protect environments.
There are two types of environmental policies used to implement the Act. These are State environment protection policies and waste management policies.
State environment protection policies
State environment protection policies (SEPPs) are pivotal in protecting water environments as they set uses and values of water environments that communities want to protect (these are called beneficial uses), establish 'goal-posts' so we know when they are protected (these are called environmental quality objectives) and provide clear guidance on what we need to do to protect them (this is called an attainment program).
These policies are legal tools made under the Environment Protection Act 1970 and set in law community expectations, needs and priorities for protecting and sustainably using Victoria's water environments.
The State environment protection policies that protect Victoria's water environments are:
- State Environment Protection Policy (Waters of Victoria) and its Schedules:
- F3 Gippsland Lakes and Catchment
- F5 Waters of the Latrobe and Thomson River Basins and Merriman Creek Catchment
- F6 Waters of Port Phillip Bay
- F7 Waters of the Yarra Catchment
- F8 Waters of Western Port and Catchment
- State Environment Protection Policy (Groundwaters of Victoria) - The State Environment Protection Policy (Groundwaters of Victoria) was developed to maintain and, where necessary, improve groundwater quality to a standard that protects existing and potential uses and values of groundwaters.
There are three main features of a SEPP for water:
1. Beneficial uses
The health of our water has a direct impact on different uses and values of water (beneficial uses) including drinking, industrial use and aquatic ecosystems that a waterway or waterbody can support. The protection of beneficial uses will be achieved through maintenance of the current level of environmental quality or through realistically achievable improvements.
Beneficial uses of water environments include:
- aquatic plants and animals
- water suitable for aquaculture and edible seafood
- water based recreation
- water suitable for human consumption
- cultural and spiritual values
- water suitable for industry and shipping
- water suitable for agriculture.
Beneficial uses are those uses and values of water environments that communities want protected both now and in the future. Not all beneficial uses are currently protected in all water environments and the challenge ahead is to work together to improve the environment and enable their full protection.
2. Environmental quality objectives
State environment protection policies (SEPPs) set out environmental quality objectives and indicators to measure whether beneficial uses are being protected. Indicators can be used to see whether beneficial uses are protected including:
- water quality indicators
- biological indicators
- flow
- sediment quality
- habitat indicators.
Current State environment protection policies (SEPPs) include water quality, biological and sediment quality indicators, and work is proposed to develop objectives for other indicators.
Some of these policies also include targets for environmental improvement – these policies include both objectives (long-term goals) and targets (interim milestones) to provide the ultimate objectives and encourage and drive continuous improvement, towards these objectives.
3. Attainment program
A State environment protection policy (SEPP) articulates, at a broad level, the actions needed to meet its purpose. If the policies did not provide this information, they would be ineffectual. An attainment program:
- identifies clear roles and responsibilities for environment protection and rehabilitation, and
- identifies strategic actions and tools to address activities that pose a risk to Victoria's water environments.
It is vitally important that the strategic measures in the attainment program support, integrate and build upon the existing environmental management arrangements that Victoria has in place. EPA works with others on a number of issues.
Waste management policies
Like SEPPs, waste management policies (WMPs) are legal tools made under the Environment Protection Act 1970. These policies are designed to meet community expectations for protecting Victoria's water environments from waste discharges.
To protect Victoria's environment from marine pests introduced via domestic ballast water, the Victorian Government established management arrangements that apply to all ships entering the State waters.
These arrangements entered in 2004 and are outlined in the Waste Management Policy (Ships' Ballast Water). In 2006 the Victorian Government introduced the Environment Protection (Ships' Ballast Water) Regulations to support the existing ballast water requirements.