More wet weather predicted, Dandenong Ranges towns told not to drink water

Residents in parts of the Dandenongs have been told their tap water is unsafe to drink, with more wet and windy weather on the way.

Storm-affected residents in Kalorama have now been hit by a water warning. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Wayne Taylor

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Residents in storm-ravaged parts of the Dandenongs have been told not to drink tap water until the weekend.

Yarra Valley Water issued the warning to residents living in Kallista, Sherbrooke and The Patch at 2.30am on June 16 after consultation with the Department of Health.

The provider expects the warning to be in place for up to three days after an equipment failure at one of its tanks.

Fallen trees surround a road in Kalorama. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Wayne Taylor

Leigh Doddy at the front of his Dandenong Ranges home where falling gum trees narrowly missed his house. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Wayne Taylor

It has advised residents to not use its water supplies for drinking, preparing drinks, washing and preparing food or baby formula, brushing teeth or making ice, and to boil water until they can guarantee the water is safe to drink.

The provider has also reccomended special care be taken to not ingest the water when showering or taking a bath.

Affected customers on Yarra Valley Water’s database will be notified by SMS.

The provider is also offering emergency drinking water at town halls in The Patch and Kallista, and urged residents to bring their own bottles, pots and kettles.

Locals Mary-Anne and Stewart Tyler clean up the mess. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Wayne Taylor

A young girl collects belongings after her home was crushed by a falling tree in Olinda. Picture: David Geraghty

YVR also encouraged residents to purchase bottled water from supermarkets if they were unable to visit the two sites.

More rain and windy conditions are predicted in the Dandenongs in the next three days according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

At Mount Dandenong, the temperature is not expected to climb above 9C until Saturday.

A shower or two is forecast today and Thursday, with winds reaching up to 20km/h in the late afternoon and evening.

Conditions are tipped to worsen on Friday, with up to 10mm of rain predicted and winds of up to 30 km/h in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, an Ausnet spokeswoman said 10,000 residents across Melbourne’s outer east are still without power, including Olinda, Healesville, Belgrave and Mount Evelyn.

Maroondah Council is offering free showers at is Aquahub complex in Croydon and Wi-Fi and charging points for devices at its library in Civic Square, as 145 Croydon residents are still without power.

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