Water Restrictions Eased to Stage 1

15 October 2007

Goulburn Valley Water has announced that water restrictions for towns supplied from the Goulburn System, including Alexandra, Avenel, Colbinabbin, Congupna, Corop, Dookie, Eildon, Girgarre, Goulburn Weir (Baxter’s Rd), Katandra West, Kirwan’s Bridge, Kyabram, Mangalore, Merrigum, Molesworth, Mooroopna, Murchison, Nagambie, Rushworth, Seymour, Shepparton, Stanhope, Tallarook, Tallygaroopna, Tatura, Tongala & Toolamba will be eased from Stage 2 to Stage 1 effective Saturday 20 October 2007.

Goulburn Valley Water’s Managing Director, Mr Laurie Gleeson said that the Corporation has made this decision primarily for two reasons.

“Firstly, inflows into Lake Eildon during winter this year have been significantly higher than in 2006. Our allocation is therefore much better now than anticipated in April 2007 when severe water restrictions were introduced,’ he said.  “Secondly, the Corporation decided last season to conserve and carryover around 4,500 megalitres for use by our customers this year.”

“The combination of an improved seasonal allocation and the decision to carryover water from last year means that our 2007/2008 water allocation is sufficient to supply water to our customers in the towns on the Goulburn System on Stage 1 water restrictions and still provide some carryover for next year.”

Mr Gleeson said that the Corporation has a fundamental service obligation to provide water to its customers if the resources are available. “We recognise that many jobs are based around domestic and commercial gardens, including nurseries, lawn mowing and garden maintenance businesses, and that water restrictions impact on these jobs,” he said. “Further, many homeowners have made significant investments in gardens and lawns and value this amenity highly.”

“Gardens are important to many in society and provide social and health benefits, particularly for our active senior citizens,’ said Mr Gleeson “Sportsgrounds, recreation and park facilities are also vital community assets that require water. The cost to the community of re-establishing these assets, if they are lost, is enormous.”

Mr Gleeson said that whilst the Corporation is sensitive to the difficulties facing irrigators, the amount of water used on residential and community parks and gardens is relatively small.  “As at 4 October, Lake Eildon was holding 785,346 megalitres, compared with 661,870 megalitres at the same time last year and the total annual water use on parks, sportsgrounds and private gardens in the twenty seven towns listed above is less than 1% of that amount.”

Key elements of Stage 1 water restrictions for private gardens are outlined below:

RESIDENTIAL and COMMERCIAL GARDENS and LAWNS

• Manual watering systems (the kind you turn on or off by hand) can only be used to water gardens and lawns between 6am-8am and 7pm-9pm on alternate days

• Automatic watering systems (the kind you set to turn on and off automatically) can only be used to water gardens and lawns between midnight-4am on alternate days.

• Hand-held hoses with a trigger nozzle, a bucket or watering can may be used at any time.

Alternate days means that properties with an odd street number may operate a watering system between the set hours on odd numbered days of the month and properties with even numbers or no number on even numbered days of the month. All properties can water on the 31^st day of the month.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the community for their understanding and co-operation during the period of higher water restrictions,” said Mr Gleeson.  “I also request that everyone continues to conserve water wherever possible as drought conditions continue.”

For full details on Stage 1 water restrictions please see our Water Restrictions page or contact the Corporation’s 24 hour customer service centre on Free Call 1800 45 45 00.

Authorised By L.J. Gleeson 104-110 Fryers Street Shepparton