1 July 2010
CHANGE TO MELBOURNE'S WATER STORAGE FIGURE
Melburnians are reminded to watch for a change to storage figures today, as recently-connected sources of water are factored-in on the first day of a new financial year.
From 1 July onwards, water stored in Lake Eildon for Melbourne will be added to Melbourne's overall storage figure. This water is part of the Sugarloaf Pipeline and Foodbowl Modernisation projects.
Manager of Water Supply, John Woodland, said people would notice a single-day jump in Melbourne's storage figure from 33.7% to 34.3% today.
"We know that many people watch the storage levels closely, so wanted to make sure the change we announced a few weeks ago was understood now it has come into effect.
"As we include new sources like the Sugarloaf Pipeline, we need to update our reporting to make sure it's a true picture of how much water we actually have," he said.
"Melbourne currently has around 10.5 billion litres in storage in Lake Eildon, which will now be counted along with the 610 billion litres in our 10 traditional reservoirs that make up our overall storage figure.
Melbourne Water expects a further 47 billion litres to be allocated later in the year – in several blocks - after independent audits. This is in addition to the 16.7 billion litres transferred so far via the Sugarloaf Pipeline.
In total, 75 billion litres is expected to be allocated to Melbourne in Lake Eildon during 2010. This represents an overall storage boost of two-and-half month's supply.
Note: Melbourne Water has today released its half-yearly analysis of catchment rainfall, storage inflows and water consumption data.
Media Contact: Andrew McGinnes +613 9235 7277 +61 (0)403 930 846