Water restrictions lifted
Wingecarribee Shire Council will remove all existing local water restrictions from Sunday 1 March 2020.
Council’s Deputy General Manager Operations, Finance and Risk Barry Paull said the lifting of the restrictions were a result of recent record rainfalls.
“Following months of sustained dry weather across the Highlands and the state we received some welcome rain fall this month,” he said. “Not only did this rain help douse the local bush fires but it also topped up our dams.
“In fact some areas in our Shire’s east reported close to 700mm over a period of just three days.
“This rainfall increased the current storage capacity at our Wingecarribee Reservoir to over 77 per cent compared to just 43 per cent last month.”
Similar increases were also recorded at the Fitzroy Falls Reservoir, Medway, Bundanoon and Tallowa Dams which also contribute to the Shire’s water supply.
Greater Sydney’s largest capacity dam, Warragamba Dam located to the north of our Shire, recorded a massive 760,000 mega-litre increase from last month.
“That’s the equivalent of more than 30 full capacity Wingecarribee Reservoirs flowing in!”
The water restrictions were introduced late last year to help ensure the long-term security of the Shire’s drinking water supply.
“We’d like to thank all of our residents for cutting back on their water usage over the summer,” Mr Paull added.
“We understand the restrictions were an inconvenience but with everybody’s collective efforts we not only reduced our Shire-wide consumption but also secured water for the fire-fighting efforts.
“I would remind everybody that although these water restrictions are being lifted it doesn’t mean we should waste this important resource.
“Council’s Water Wise initiatives remain in place all-year round regardless of water storage levels.”
Council’s Water Wise Initiatives include:
- Sprinklers and irrigation systems – Avoid watering in the heat of the day and only use sprinklers or irrigation systems before 10am and after 4pm.
- Hoses – Hand held hoses should have a trigger nozzle and watering should be avoided between 10am and 4pm.
- Clean-up – Instead of hosing hard surfaces like driveways, use a broom to clean up leaves, grass clippings, dirt or dust.
- Washing vehicles – Wash your car on the lawn wherever possible. This helps to water your lawn and avoids adding to stormwater pollution.
For more information on Council’s Water Wise Initiatives visit www.wsc.nsw.gov.au/water-restrictions.