The Government has set a number of targets for industry and business to reduce water consumption.

In the Central Region Sustainable Water Strategy, the Government committed to work with industry to reduce non-residential water usage in Melbourne by 13 billion litres by 2015.

Melbourne’s businesses also participate in the waterMAP program. This program requires all non-residential customers across Victoria that consume more than 10 million litres of water per annum to develop a water management action plan (waterMAP). Significant savings have been made, with waterMAP customers across the State saving approximately 15 billion litres of water since the program’s inception in 2007.

The Government is funding Melbourne’s three water retailers to install smart water meters for Melbourne’s top 200 water users. Smart water meters monitor water use in real time and are an important tool to help customers better understand their water consumption patterns, identify leaks and other abnormalities and improve their water conservation practices.

Melbourne's businesses of all sizes are encouraged to participate in Support 155 - a program which aims to help business save water through water use assessments, ideas for working with employees to save water and other assistance. Over 3,800 businesses have signed up for the Support 155 program.