14 August 2008
RESERVOIR LEVELS AT 31.4%
Another week of above average rainfall has lifted Melbourne’s storages, which rose by 0.4% of total system capacity or almost 8 billion litres.
Storages are now 31.4% (557,359 million litres) full, compared with this time last year when they were 37.5% (664,249 million litres) full.
Winter rains continue to help wet the catchments after a very dry autumn, but runoff into reservoirs is still around half the norm. An average of 35mm fell across the major catchments since last Thursday, compared with the long-term average of 26mm.
Good rainfall in the metropolitan area also helped keep water use low. Melbourne’s average daily water consumption this week was 948 million litres, compared with the winter average of 1,108 litres per day in the 1990s.
Stage 3a restrictions are in place until at least 30 November 2008. Further details on water restrictions are available by visiting the Our Water Our Future website or by contacting the government water retailers.
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