Before using a bore to dispose of matter underground, approval from the managing water corporation is required, along with a licence to operate works.

Underground disposal is used to dispose of drainage water, concentrate resulting from desalination and other waste, and also increasingly in Managed Aquifer Recharge projects, where water is injected into an aquifer for storage and future use.

Approval is made by the water corporations under section 76 of the Water Act 1989, according to the Policies for managing section 76 approvals. Groundwater desalination (with disposal of concentrate underground) and Managed Aquifer Recharge schemes are regulated by amendments to the Policies for managing take-and-use licences.

Records of approvals for underground disposal are stored in the Victorian Water Register, along with related works licences.

Policies and information

A copy of the policies and amendments for managing take and use licences, including Managed Aquifer Recharge, are available here.

Download PDF Policies for Managing Section 76 Approval (5,463 Kb) 
Download PDF Amendment (Groundwater Desalination) of Policies for Managing Section 76 Approvals (1,223 Kb)  
Amendments (Geothermal Reinjection Schemes) to the Policies for Managing Section 76 Approvals (141 kb)

Download PDF Managed Aquifer Recharge Technical Advisory Notes to Delegates_2010-09-21 (158 Kb)
Download PDF Technical Advisory Notes: Groundwater Desalination (with Underground Disposal) (471 Kb)