Oral Presentation IPWEA Victoria Public Works Conference 2026

In Victoria, managing stormwater and flood risks is a collective responsibility. Within Melbourne metropolitan area, Local Government Authorities (LGAs) work in partnership with Melbourne Water, while in regional areas, LGAs collaborate with Catchment Management Authorities. This coordinated approach is designed to safeguard communities, minimise damage, and build resilience as the state faces challenges from climate change, urban growth, and an increasing population.

WISER Water’s digital dashboards solution is facilitating the digital transformation of organisations involved in water management. By enabling dashboard sharing between different authorities, these solutions create transparency. Stormwater and floodplain managers now have access to uniform, live datasets via shared dashboards, promoting collaboration and informed decision-making.

In 2019, Melbourne Water initiated the development and deployment of a cloud-based dashboard platform that provides real-time connectivity to rain and river level datasets. These dashboards empower personnel within and across organisations to visualise critical data that previously required multiple platforms and logins or was simply inaccessible. The cloud-based subscription model includes comprehensive support, removing the need for councils to invest in separate hardware, software, IT infrastructure, data storage, or maintenance.

The integration of live connections to Melbourne Water’s rain and flood gauge monitoring system delivers continuously updated rainfall and river level data. Combined with Bureau of Meteorology’s adjusted rainfall radar, offering both historical and forecast data. The WISER Water platform enables stormwater and floodplain managers to monitor and respond to events before, during, and after storms.

• Cardinia Shire Council: Emergency management officers utilise the dashboard to investigate flood complaints by reviewing retrospective rainfall records and automatically calculated rainfall exceedance probabilities at specific locations within the municipality.
• City of Casey and Melbourne Water: The dashboard’s live CCTV camera feeds at critical stormwater assets and flood-prone sites allow personnel to remotely inspect conditions without dispatching officers on-site.
• Yarra Ranges Shire Council: Officers analyse historical storm events at frequently affected locations, such as childcare facilities, to understand patterns and vulnerabilities. They have developed workflows that use municipal rainfall forecasts to monitor hotspot locations and prepare for potential impacts in advance. This intelligence is also used to engage with the community, empowering residents to make informed decisions about flood risks before adverse events occur.

Since 2024, WISER Water solutions have been adopted and shared among Melbourne Water and numerous LGAs across Victoria. Under Melbourne Water’s leadership, a partnership model offers subsidised subscriptions to metropolitan LGAs and fosters collaboration through a Community of Practice, where users can connect, share experiences, and learn from each other’s use of the platform.