Urban Water Restrictions - October 2010
Following good winter-spring inflows to storages across Victoria, there were many changes to urban water restrictions around the State during October. Over the month, restrictions were removed for 79 towns and a further 102 towns had restrictions reduced. Restrictions were introduced for 3 towns during October.
On 1 October, Coliban Water removed restrictions for 12 of its towns, including towns supplied by the Goulburn and Murray systems, such as Echuca, Boort and Mitiamo. Restrictions were reduced for a further 35 towns. Stage 3 restrictions for towns on the Loddon, Castlemaine and Kyneton systems were reduced to Stage 1, while Stage 3 restrictions for Bendigo and district were reduced to Stage 2. Coliban also reduced restrictions for Raywood and Sebastion from Stage 4 with exemptions to Stage 3.
On 3 October, Lower Murray Water removed Stage 1 restrictions for all towns; permanent water saving rules now apply. Also on 3 October, Barwon Water reduced Stage 2 restrictions to Stage 1 for Geelong and district.
On 11 October, Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water removed Stage 1 restrictions for 53 towns in the Wimmera Mallee region; permanent water saving rules now apply.
On 15 October, Western Water reduced Stage 3 restrictions for its towns to Stage 2 in line with Melbourne’s restriction levels. During October, the Minister for Water announced that Melbourne would remain on Stage 2 restrictions until April 2011.
Barwon Water introduced Stage 2 restrictions for Apollo Bay, Skenes Creek and Marengo. Stage 2 restrictions are generally introduced in November each year and remain in place until April of the following year in order to manage water supplies over the summer tourism period, when consumption in the area almost triples.
By the end of October, only 161 Victorian towns were subject to water restrictions and approximately 360 towns were not on restrictions but were subject to permanent water saving rules. This is fewer than for October 2009 when 320 towns were on restrictions. Significantly less towns are on severe restrictions, with only eight towns on Stage 4Ex or Stage 4 compared to 111 at this time last year. These towns are supplied by groundwater and the current shortage has been caused by temporary infrastructure limitations.