Urban Water Restrictions - March 2011
On 1 March, Barwon Water removed Stage 1 restrictions for Geelong and district, while Coliban Water removed restrictions for Castlemaine and district. On 4 March, Central Highlands Water reduced Stage 3 restrictions for its Forest Hill supply system to Stage 2, and removed restrictions for Lexton.
By the end of March, only 42 Victorian towns were subject to water restrictions. This is the lowest number of towns on restrictions for close to a decade. At the same time last year, 249 towns were subject to water restrictions.
Only two towns (Streatham and Westmere in western Victoria) are still subject to severe Stage 4 (with exemptions) restrictions. These towns are supplied by groundwater and the current shortage has been caused by temporary infrastructure limitations that will be resolved in the first quarter of 2011.
Over 470 towns are not on restrictions, but are subject to permanent water savings rules.