Melbourne Water
PO Box 4342
Melbourne Victoria 3001
Telephone 131 722
This publication may be of assistance to you but Melbourne Water and its employees do
not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate
for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other
consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.
melbournewater.com.au
© Copyright March 2012 Melbourne Water Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of
this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, photocopied or otherwise
dealt with without prior written permission of Melbourne Water Corporation.
ISBN 978-1-921603-16-7
Printed on FSC 100% recycled paper, manufactured as carbon neutral.
Designed and produced by Milo&Co. Lead photography by Chris Kapa. Support images
by Andrew Lloyd, Christian Pearson/Misheye, Ric Wallis and Jimmy Medallada.
Setting our
Strategic Direction
OUR VISION
Enhancing Life and Liveability
Water is central to living. It sustains
the communities we live in, the
natural environment we value
and the economy we depend on.
We will improve the quality of life and
prosperity of the region by providing
safe, secure and reliable water services,
desirable urban spaces and thriving
natural environments supported by
healthy waterways and bays.
Every day, we will work with others to develop
shared solutions to manage rainwater, seawater,
stormwater and treated sewage as one integrated
system. This approach will deliver the best
economic, social and environmental outcomes
for all, now and in the future.
Setting our Strategic Direction
1
Our challenge
Our commitment
We can’t achieve our vision on our own.
We need to work together with our customers
and stakeholders to enhance liveability against
the backdrop of population growth, increased
urban density, a changing and variable climate,
natural resource scarcity and community
expectations for affordable services.
We are committed to understanding and
listening to our customers and stakeholders
and working with them to deliver on our
promises. We will build strong relationships
and pool our knowledge and expertise to
create better solutions.
We will balance commercial, social and
environmental goals to achieve the best possible
results for our customers and the community.
By being flexible, efficient and innovative,
we will secure the water needs of current
and future generations.
Our people can count on a healthy, safe
and supportive workplace that rewards
innovation, integrity and achievement.
We are passionate about working
together every day to make Melbourne
and the region a better place to live.
We will work with others
to achieve our vision.
2
Setting our Strategic Direction
3
Our customers
We deliver services to many
customers with the help of
many partners.
Melbourne Water is the wholesaler of Melbourne’s
water supply and sewage removal and treatment.
We are responsible for managing the water
catchments, as well as the 8,400 kilometres of
rivers and creeks and the major drainage systems
throughout the Port Phillip and Westernport region.
Our customers include the metropolitan retail water
businesses, other water authorities, land developers
and businesses that divert river water.
The 1.8 million households who receive waterways
and drainage services are also our customers.
We listen to our
customers and strive
to meet or exceed
their expectations.
We deliver our services in partnership with others
including government agencies, local councils,
catchment authorities, contractors and suppliers.
4
Setting our Strategic Direction
5
Achieving our vision
A better way of doing business
Six key business activities underpin the
achievement of our vision: service delivery,
integrated water management, environmental
stewardship, relationships, financial
sustainability and organisational capability.
We’re taking a fresh approach to the way
we accomplish these activities by being more
customer-focused, commercial, innovative,
sustainable, engaging and adaptable.
All our activities are supported by a constructive
culture, technical expertise and a commitment
to zero harm in the workplace where the safety
of people is paramount.
6
Setting our Strategic Direction
7
OUR BUSINESS ACTIVITIES
Integrated
water
management
Our aim
Contribute to a more sustainable, prosperous, liveable
and healthy community by planning and delivering water
supply, waterways and sewage services holistically.
We will do this by:
•Collaborating with
customers and stakeholders
to investigate new and
diverse water resources
•Contributing to further
integration between
water planning and urban
development planning
•Taking opportunities to
achieve multiple benefits
from our natural and
built assets
Service
delivery
•Sustainably managing
catchments to protect
water resources
•Undertaking effective long-term
planning with stakeholders to
meet the needs of a growing
population and address the
forecast impacts of climate
change and variability.
Our aim
Provide services which are valued by our customers.
We will do this by:
•Providing high-quality, safe
and reliable drinking water
and fit-for-purpose water
from alternative sources
•Providing safe sewage transfer,
treatment and disposal
•Protecting and enhancing
the health and amenity
of waterways and bays
•Managing flood risk
8
•Managing the water
supply system to meet
urban, environmental
and agricultural needs
•Adapting our assets to address
climate change and variability
•Planning, operating and
maintaining our built and
natural assets efficiently
by incorporating innovative
and whole-of-life system
approaches
•Providing for continuity of
service by improving the way
we plan for, respond to and
recover from extreme events.
Setting our Strategic Direction
9
Environmental
stewardship
Our aim
Protect the natural environment and ensure
resource availability for future generations.
We will do this by:
•Meeting environmental
obligations and minimising
environmental impacts
•Conserving biodiversity
•Responding to climate
change and variability
through mitigation
measures
Relationships
•Using natural
resources efficiently
•Minimising, recycling
and reusing wastes
•Preserving and promoting
cultural heritage
•Encouraging our suppliers and
partners to apply sustainable
business practices.
Our aim
Organisational
capability
Our aim
Strengthen the capability of the organisation to
deliver better customer and community outcomes.
We will do this by:
•Continuing to build a
collaborative culture
•Supporting and
encouraging our people
to take responsibility
for health and safety
•Developing a high-performing
organisation that values
innovation, customer
service and commercial
and technical expertise
•Promoting diversity and
flexibility to attract and
retain a motivated and
skilled workforce
•Fostering a learning
organisation that collaborates
in research, embraces
emerging thinking and
adapts to new technology
•Using innovative technological
solutions to improve the
effectiveness and efficiency
of business processes.
To be valued by our customers and stakeholders
and a business of choice for our partners.
We will do this by:
•Strengthening relationships
with customers, stakeholders
and suppliers
•Developing a deeper
understanding of our
customers’ needs
Financial
sustainability
•Collaborating widely to find
better solutions through
knowledge sharing and
genuine partnership.
Our aim
Maintain financial viability and increase business value.
We will do this by:
•Maintaining sound
financial governance
•Operating efficiently
and managing commercial
risk effectively
10
•Seeking and respecting
customer and stakeholder
views in our decision-making
•Investing prudently
and efficiently
•Continuously improving
business productivity
•Earning a commercial
return on investments.
We understand that the best results
are created when environmental,
social and financial goals are balanced.
Setting our Strategic Direction
11
OUR APPROACH
We are passionate about
working together every day
to make Melbourne and the
region a better place to live.
Customer focused
Innovative
Engaging
Customer success is a measure of our own
success. We gain satisfaction from striving to
provide cost-effective products and services
that meet or exceed customer expectations.
This is achieved by listening to our customers
to understand their needs, valuing their
contribution and being responsive.
We always look for better ways to do things.
We enjoy working with others to deliver
creative solutions that are valued by our
customers and partners. We believe we
can achieve better outcomes by sharing
knowledge and ideas.
We engage our customers and stakeholders
early to understand their perspective, share
information and views, and encourage
feedback to support our decision-making.
We forge strong relationships and value
a transparent and honest approach.
Sustainable
Adaptable
The long-term interests of the community
and future generations are integral to our
decision-making. We take an ethical and
responsible approach and know the right
solutions are created when environmental,
social and financial goals are balanced.
We are open to change and flexible enough
to embrace opportunities. We build resilience
through sound planning, learning from our
experiences and adjusting our approach
when needed. We are prepared to make
changes to achieve the best outcomes.
Commercial
We deliver services to our customers
efficiently and maximise the value to
our shareholder from our resources and
investments. We will ensure our business is
positioned to make the most of commercial
opportunities and partnerships.
12
Setting our Strategic Direction
13
Melbourne Water
PO Box 4342
Melbourne Victoria 3001
Telephone 131 722
This publication may be of assistance to you but Melbourne Water and its employees do
not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate
for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other
consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.
melbournewater.com.au
© Copyright March 2012 Melbourne Water Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of
this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, photocopied or otherwise
dealt with without prior written permission of Melbourne Water Corporation.
ISBN 978-1-921603-16-7
Printed on FSC 100% recycled paper, manufactured as carbon neutral.
Designed and produced by Milo&Co. Lead photography by Chris Kapa. Support images
by Andrew Lloyd, Christian Pearson/Misheye, Ric Wallis and Jimmy Medallada.
Setting our
Strategic Direction