THE head of Goulburn Valley Water has reacted angrily to comments by a senior politician that towns in the region should be on water restrictions.

The Bendigo Weekly last week revealed that while politicians screamed there was not enough water in the Goulburn system for the Lake Eppalock pipeline, none of the 21 towns on the Goulburn River were on water restrictions.

Residents in those towns can water their lawns, nature strips, gardens, sports grounds and school grounds with a hand-held hose for as long as they want, whenever they want.

They can also water lawns, nature strips and gardens with sprinklers for any amount of time before 10am and after 5pm.

That prompted Federal Member for Murray Sharman Stone to call for restrictions to be introduced, during an election debate on The Fresh 89.5 FM moderated by the Weekly.

"I think they should be. I think they should be quite frankly," she said.

"Goulburn Valley Water buys a bulk water entitlement out of Goulburn Murray Water’s system, and they even trade some of that water, they don’t use it all.

"I agree, they should be (on restrictions).

"Shepparton City Council should make sure its water running systems are spot on, I couldn’t agree with you more."

That prompted an angry response from GV Water chief executive officer Laurie Gleeson.

"Sharman Stone’s comments are neither helpful or accurate," he said.

"It also indicates a poor knowledge of the water entitlement system in the Goulburn River basin.

"She is not articulating her own government’s policy on water trading."

Mr Gleeson said his organisation supported the water pipeline to Lake Eppalock to help Bendigo, which has less that 300 days of water left.

"There is plenty of water here," he said.

"Goulburn Valley Water fully supports the interconnectivity of basins for the long-term planning and use of water resources in Victoria. The system was designed to meet and have the flexibility to meet the situation we are experiencing.

"When we get there, people don’t like it for political reasons."

Mr Gleeson was quick to point out the security of the Goulburn system.

"We live in the Goulburn River system which is more secure than Bendigo," he said. "Bendigo was founded on gold and the whole of the Goulburn Valley was founded on liquid gold – water.

"We have a secure water supply allocation this year and we will be able to meet our normal needs.

"Free enterprise has allowed 100,000 megalitres of water to be traded out of the Goulburn system down the Murray River in the last five years.

"We have to start taking a longer-term view."

In response, Dr Stone said Mr Gleeson’s comments proved he was out of touch.

"I find Mr Gleeson’s attitude quite astonishing," she said.

"He states that there is ‘plenty of water’. Someone needs to let him in on the fact that the Eildon dam, his authority’s source of water, is down to 16 per cent and is effectively empty by the end of April."

Dr Stone said the entire state was in the drought predicament together.

"I encourage townspeople who are supplied by GV Water to do the right thing, even if their supplier has not introduced stricter water restrictions," she said.