Historical information

The Melbourne & Metropolitan Board of Works was established in 1891 to oversee the introduction of a sewerage and water reticulation system in Melbourne and its suburbs. This complementary map was produced by the Department of Crown Lands & Survey [Victoria] in the same decade showing the distribution of water in Melbourne for use by fire brigades. While by 1910, there were 123,227 connections to Melbourne's water supply system, it is unclear in this 1899 map whether water was supplied to all built structures in the defined areas or only to fire hydrants and stand pipes, as we know that the first connection of a building to the sewerage system in Kew only occurred in 1904.

Physical description

Map accompanying report on fire protection of Melbourne showing those areas supplied with water in colour.