Tucked into the forested slopes of the Dandenong Ranges, Silvan Reservoir may look peaceful, but it works hard behind the scenes to keep Melbourne’s taps flowing, rain or
shine.
Commissioned in 1931, the 40,581 megalitre reservoir has helped secure the city’s water supply, not by collecting local rainfall, but by collecting water from major sources like Upper Yarra, O’Shannassy and Thomson. Think of it as a central hub: water arrives via aqueducts and pipes, gets temporarily stored and balanced, and then flows downhill through big pipes using gravity, including the Silvan-Greenvale, Silvan-Waverley, and Silvan-Cardinia pipelines, to treatment plants and service reservoirs across Melbourne.
“Silvan is one of the unsung heroes of our network,” said David Norman, Head of Water Supply at Melbourne Water.
“It gives us the flexibility to move high-quality drinking water around the city efficiently, ensuring communities stay supplied, even during peak demand or network upgrades.”
Silvan’s strategic elevation, around 245 metres above sea level, means water can be transferred efficiently across the network minimising the need for pumping, saving power and money.
While the reservoir can’t be used for on-water recreation, its surrounding parklands are a much-loved public space. Both locals and visitors come to walk and even run the trails, or enjoy a picnic, not realising that Silvan Reservoir helps supply drinking water to the entire city.
“It’s not just a beautiful spot, it’s also one of the key reasons we can count on clean water when we turn on the tap,” said Mr Norman.
As population growth and climate uncertainty place added pressure on water supplies, Silvan’s role in blending, balancing and transferring drinking water from multiple sources will only grow in importance. It may not be Melbourne’s largest reservoir, but it is one of the most important when it comes to making sure we all have clean, reliable drinking water.
