30 September 2010
Modest rain curbs storage rise
Another week of modest rainfall over the major catchments has slowed down the increase in water storages.
Storages rose by 0.6% of capacity in the past week - a net gain of 11.7 billion litres – due largely to the flow-on effect of previous rain events.
The catchments received between 12 and 19 mm of rain, at an average of 14 mm.
This was about half of the 30- year average for this time of year (29mm).
Streamflow into the major reservoirs (14 billion litres) was less than recent weeks.
Inflows will continue to taper off without substantial rain in the coming days and weeks.
This week saw the launch of the Thomson Dam Cam, a real-time webcam that shows the conditions at the system’s biggest, most remote storage.
Melbourne’s water storages are now 47.0% (852.1 billion litres) full, compared with 32.9% (595.3 billion litres) at the same time last year.
Residential water was well below the target of 155 litres per person a day, with Melburnians using a daily average of 138 litres per person.
More information on restrictions and tips on how to reach the target are available from Target 155 [website no longer available, visit Office of Water for this information] or by contacting the government water retailers.
Stage 2 restrictions and Target 155 are currently in place.
Media Contact: Nicolas McGay +613 9235 2278 +61 (0)438 981 836