The rains are here! The Hunter’s water storages have increased: Water restrictions lowered
It’s been a long, hot dry summer for the Hunter, with extreme drought that gripped most parts of NSW, but the rains have arrived and so too changes to our current water restrictions.
Newcastle
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It’s been a long, hot dry summer for the Hunter, with extreme drought that gripped most parts of NSW, but the rains have finally arrived and so too changes to our current water restrictions.
Currently on level 2 water restrictions, the lower Hunter will return to level 1 restrictions as of Monday (February 24) next week.
The welcomed wet has seen the region’s water storages increase by 10 per cent in just over a week, with expectation they will reach 65 per cent capacity by the end of the month.
Water Minister Melinda Pavey said it has been a welcome relief to receive some much-needed rainfall, after months of experiencing severe drought.
“While local dams haven’t made a full recovery, they are in better shape than they were,” Ms Pavey said.
“The Chichester catchment in particular has received decent falls, generating streamflow in the Williams River and causing Chichester Dam to spill.
“Although this is a positive step in our drought recovery, we are not out of the woods yet, which is why it’s really important that we all continue to use water wisely and save it wherever we can.”
Hunter Water’s Acting CEO Graham Wood encouraged the community to continue the great savings made since the introduction of water restrictions.
“Our community has shown us how much they love water by championing our water saving message and leading through action,” Mr Wood said.
“Since the start of Level 1 water restrictions, locals have reduced consumption by 20 per cent compared with what we expected given these weather conditions.
“Whether it’s by reducing showers to four minutes, fixing leaks around the home or waiting for a full load before doing washing, we can all continue to play our part and conserve our precious resource.”
The new restrictions will mean outdoor watering is permitted before 10am and after 4pm with a trigger nozzle hose and washing of vehicles with a bucket, trigger nozzle hose or pressure cleaner.
Restrictions on sprinklers and hosing hard surfaces remain in place.
On January 20, level 2 water restrictions were enforced across the Lower Hunter after the region’s dam’s fell to their lowest levels in almost 40 years.
For more information on water restrictions visit, www.hunterwater.com.au/restrictions