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Threats to Victoria's water environment

Water is essential to life. We all use water and all impact on its quality and quantity. Important human uses of water, such as drinking, farming, fishing and recreation can be threatened by the degradation of the water environment. Animals and plants also rely on the water environment for their survival.

Human use of Victoria's land and water resources has affected the health of our water environments to an extent that threatens the very features that make them so attractive and valuable.

While some of our water environments are in largely natural condition, others are becoming saltier or have higher than natural silt and nutrient levels. Algal blooms and pest plants and animals are common indicators of human impacts on water. Treatment is costly and will increase as water availability becomes scarcer.

Coupled with this are deteriorating and eroding catchments where soil is lost, biodiversity is in decline and farmland is being lost to high salt levels. These poor catchment environments have a direct impact on the health of our water environments. The consequences of these deteriorating environments are imminent, serious and costly.

Pollutants enter the water environment from two main classes of inputs: point sources and non-point sources.

The most serious threats include:

EPA is working with organisations and the community to ensure that our water environments are protected from these threats. You can find out about how EPA protects the water environment.

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