New fines to crack down on water meter tampering
TL;DR
Thursday 5 March, 2026
Location
Mallee
New fines to crack down on water meter tampering
Thursday 5 March, 2026
Goulburn-Murray Water (GMW) has a zero-tolerance approach to water theft.
This season GMW is focussed on making sure customers are protected from the impacts of meter tampering.
Tampering with water meters doesn't just break the law, it disrupts water delivery to customers, increases metering costs and undermines fair water management.
Victoria's rural water corporations have reported a rise in tampering with water meters, including damaging, altering, and even removing meters altogether.
Between 1 July 2018 and 30 June 2025, 176 meter tampering breaches were detected in Victoria. Individuals can now be fined for tampering with a water meter, or prosecuted for more serious breaches.
As of 17 December 2025, anyone caught destroying, damaging, removing, altering, or interfering with a water meter or associated works without proper authorisation can now be fined:
Individuals:
fines up to
$2,442
Body Corporates:
fines up to
$12,211
If you suspect meter tampering or any other breach of the Water Act 1989, you can phone GMW on 1800 013 357.