Key messages
- The quality of Victoria's drinking water is regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act 2003 and the Safe Drinking Water Regulations 2025.
- The Act places obligations on water suppliers and water storage managers to provide safe, quality drinking water.
Safe Drinking Water Act 2003
The Safe Drinking Water Act 2003 (the Act) regulates drinking water quality. It places legal obligations on water suppliers and water storage managers (collectively referred to as water agencies) to provide safe, high-quality drinking water. It provides a regulatory framework that includes:
- a risk management framework covering the water supply system from catchment to consumer
- legally enforceable drinking water quality standards
- information disclosure requirements for water agencies
- provisions for community consultation.
The Act applies to a range of designated water agencies and other statutory authorities that supply drinking water to the public, including Parks Victoria and Alpine Resorts Victoria. The Health Regulator at the Department of Health supports and works with these key stakeholders to ensure the Act is upheld across Victoria.
You can download the Safe Drinking Water Act 2003 from the Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary website.
Safe Drinking Water Regulations 2025
The Safe Drinking Water Regulations 2025 (the Regulations) were made under section 56 of the Act and came into operation on 6 July 2025.
The Regulations require that water agencies apply a structured and systematic approach to risk management, supported by clear drinking water quality standards.
You can download the Regulations from the Victorian Legislation and website.
Printed copies of Victorian legislation can be purchased from LitSupport or in person at Level 10, 575 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000.
To support phased implementation of the Regulations, we are progressively publishing guidance materials to help support water agencies understand and comply with the safe drinking water legislation. See Guidance notes for these resources.
Read the fact sheet for a summary of key regulatory changes and implementation considerations.
For more information about the review of the 2015 Regulations that led to the 2025 Regulations, see Engage .
Other relevant legislation
Other legislation relevant to drinking water supply and quality includes:
These are also available through the same methods.
Key departments and agencies
The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate oversees the sustainable management of water resources through industry governance and resource allocation by administering the Water Act 1989 and Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.
Regulation of the price of drinking water provided by water agencies is the responsibility of the The Essential Services . They also impose a range of consumer protections.
The Environment Protection protects Victoria's waters as the environmental regulator through administration of the Environment Protection Act 2017.
Reviewed 04 July 2025