Water Authorities

The Victorian water industry is managed by urban and regional water authorities owned by the Victorian Government.

Within the metropolitan area, Melbourne Water is the wholesale water agency that supports the three water retailers: South East Water, Yarra Valley Water, and Greater Western Water. The three retailers have formed the joint association, MRWA (Melbourne Water Retail Agencies).

These water authorities provide water, non-drinking water, sewerage, trade waste, and water-saving services for residents and businesses within the Melbourne and metropolitan areas.

Regional Victoria is serviced by a further 13 regional water authorities.

These authorities provide water, non-drinking water, sewerage, trade waste, and water-saving services for residents and businesses within regional Victoria.

Rural water authorities, Southern Rural Water, Lower Murray Water, and Goulburn Murray Water manage bulk water supplies and irrigation services for rural Victoria.

Opportunities for civil contractors within the water industry include works directly managed by water authorities, such as their capital works programs and pipeline renewal and replacement, as well as works commissioned by land developers that are subsequently gifted to the water authorities.

Contractor Prequalification and Accreditation Process

Capital works and renewal programs for each authority are generally managed through a panel of suppliers or a fixed-term appointment for specific work parcels. In most cases, appointment to these opportunities is through a prequalification process in which contractors are required to demonstrate capability and experience for the relevant works.

In all cases, a contractor must have and use a Management System – CCF Victoria’s Civil Contractor Management System (CCMS), or the ISO Standards (9001, 14001, 45001) – certified by a JASANZ-accredited body.

The contractor is also required to demonstrate proactive compliance with all environmental and OH&S legislation and regulations.

Works commissioned by land developers, typically water and sewer reticulation, supply mains, sewer rising mains, and pump stations that are to become water authority assets, may only be constructed by approved contractors.

Water authority approval is generally gained through either:

• Prequalification, in which a contractor must submit details of management systems, and relevant capability, experience, and resources for the proposed work areas. Prequalification does not imply any contractual agreement between the authority and the contractor; or
• Accreditation, in which a contractor submits details of management systems, and relevant capability, experience, and resources for the proposed work areas, then enters into a Deed of Agreement with the water authority. Each authority may have different requirements, which must be understood to achieve accreditation

CCF Victoria can assist with achieving prequalification or accreditation through its retained consultants.

MRWA Requirements

The requirements of the Melbourne Retail Water Agencies (MRWA) for contractors to achieve and retain accreditation in their water and sewer works categories are numerous and very specific.

These include:

• Management Systems (OH&S, Quality and Environment)
• Sample project documentation
• Proactive safety systems complying with all OH&S legislation and regulations
• Insurances and company documentation
• Skills, training and competences for key personnel
• Relevant experience gained in the land development space for each category of work to be accredited.

The MRWAs also maintain a regimented audit regime for their accredited contractors and regularly review them against performance criteria.

Accreditation System

The Arcus website is an online portal for submitting accreditation applications. Currently, the portal is available for:

• South East Water
• Yarra Valley Water
• Greater Western Water
• Melbourne Water

Other authorities may also consider using the portal in the future.

Arcus is accessed by applying to an authority administrator for a login and password.

The application is completed online and includes selecting each authority for which accreditation is requested.

The company’s key information must be entered, including a specific company entity and associated ABN, company details, insurances, etc.

The system contains several sections that must be completed. Documentary compliance evidence must be uploaded, along with responses to the questions posed in each category. Information to be provided and uploaded includes, but is not limited to:

1. Certification documents, to the CCF Victoria Management Code or ISO Standards (OHS, Quality and Environment)
2. Insurance documentation
3. Nomination of work categories for which accreditation is requested
4. Relevant company experience for each requested category of work
5. Licenses and tickets of key personnel for each requested category of work
6. Relevant experience of key personnel for each requested category of work

Note that key personnel nominated are the only personnel ‘accredited’ to supervise the worksite and must be actively engaged and on site while works are taking place.

Key Personal must have the training, experience and competency relevant to the requested category of work.

Mandatory for all works are:

• Industry Induction (White Card)
• Trench Shoring and Safety
• Confined Space (renewed annually)
• Machine Operator

Training courses for these and other required competencies can generally be obtained through CCF Victoria Civil Train.

Accreditation is completed when the accreditation deed issued by each authority is signed, dated, and uploaded.

Interested in becoming a member? CLICK HERE to apply.