It has a capacity of 40,000 ML (1.4 billion cu ft).

Silvan is an off-stream storage reservoir, meaning that most of the water is sourced from other reservoirs as the actual catchment area of 9 square kilometres (3.5 sq mi) for Silvan is small.

In turn, Silvan directly supplies water to many of Melbourne's eastern suburbs as well as other off-stream storage reservoirs, including Cardinia and Greenvale.

A severe drought in 1914 forced the government to search for a new water supply to handle Melbourne's ever-increasing needs.

[1][2][3][4] In 1983, the wall started to show cracks and remedial works were undertaken.