The Plug the Pipe group was delighted with the opposition strategy to disallow bulk water entitlements in the upper house last Wednesday.

"The government will do what they are going to so regardless, the minister can amend the bulk entitlement at the stroke of a pen," spokesman Ken Pattison said.

"If these provisions had gone through, the water minister has the power to amend it as he pleases."

Mr Pattison said the Victorian Government had continually broken promises to irrigators and environmentalists and Wednesday's vote to prevent water going to Melbourne was aimed at keeping it accountable.

"The opposition parties are so dismayed about breaking of promises and commitments and undertakings to set aside the provisions of bulk entitlement," Mr Pattison said.

"They have not honoured their commitment.

"They went to the last election saying they would not build a pipe."

Nationals leader and Regional and Rural Development Shadow Minister Peter Ryan said the coalition opposed the order because it broke three key promises made to Victorian communities.

"The government's intention was to redirect water to Melbourne through the north-south pipeline despite it being promised to the Snowy and Murray rivers," Mr Ryan said

"Labor also planned negotiating with the Commonwealth on distributing savings from the second stage of the Food Bowl Modernisation Project, which contradicts its original promise of allowing the water to be split 50/50 between farmers and the environment.

"Furthermore, the order lacks the necessary rigour in auditing savings from the Food Bowl Modernisation Project.

"Today's successful disallowance motion in parliament highlights the overwhelming opposition to the government's attempts to loot water from food producers and the environment because it has failed to plan for Melbourne's future water needs," Mr Ryan said.