Of all water in the world, 97% is salty ocean water, 2% is polar ice and only a very small 1% is fresh water suitable for human needs.

The amount of water in the world remains constant and never changes (see the water cycle). As there is only 1% of fresh water available for use it is therefore sensible to make responsible use of such a vital commodity. Nothing could survive on earth without water; not plants, animals or humans. The human body comprises of 2/3 water. 

The Water Cycle 

The quality of earth's water remains constant and is billions of years old. It continually cycles around and around in a process called the water cycle. For example the water you used to brush your teeth with this morning is more than four billion years old.

The water cycle has four main processes. These are:

Evaporation - The process by which water moves from the surface of the ocean or the earth into the atmosphere. 

Transpiration - This is the other process that water moves from earth to the atmosphere. Trees, shrubs, grasses and other plants all need water to survive.

Condensation - Under certain conditions the water vapour stored in the atmosphere begins to form tiny droplets of water vapour. This process is called condensation.

Precipitation - Precipitation occurs when the water vapour cools and becomes too heavy to stay in the sky.

Where does water come from?

Water supplies for Gippsland Water are drawn from a variety of sources including local reservoirs, streams, waterways and ground water supplies.

Gippsland's Water supplies are drawn from such sources as:

• Moondarra Reservoir
• Narracan Creek
• Macalister River
• Tarago Reservoir
• Pederson Weir

The raw water quality across the region is quite varied as it is supplied from a variety of sources. Each raw supply undergoes varying levels of treatment which include coagulation, flocculation filtration and disinfection before being delivered to customers.

Gippsland Water services the water and wastewater needs of some of Victoria's largest industries. Our major client base includes leading national and multinational companies, which is a unique situation for a non-metropolitan Victorian water authority.