Melbourne Water Supply Disappearing

Melbourne’s reservoirs are now just 34.8 percent full, down from almost 40 percent at the beginning of 2008.

The drought stricken city is continuing to introduce tougher water restrictions (link opens pdf file) to improve on the water savings residents made last year.

People living in Melbourne may now only water their gardens on two days each week and the watering must be carried out between 6am and 8am.

Watering lawns using tap water is banned completely.

Only one quarter of sports grounds can be watered.

New swimming pools or spas may not be filled with water from the city’s drinking supply; you need to have a personal source of groundwater or collect rainwater.

Existing pools or spas of less than 2,000 litre capacity can be filled with drinking water, but you aren’t allowed to use a hose to fill them.

You need to carry the water from tap to pool using a bucket.

Although Melbourne added more people to its population than any other Australian city last year, the city’s residents managed to cut their total water consumption by 500 million litres. Consumption per person has dropped by 22% since the 1990s.

While Melbourne dries up, Sydney – itself no stranger to drought – is enjoying a time of more plentiful water supply. Sydney’s reservoirs are now 63 percent full, up from just 34 percent in early 2007. Sydneysiders are still living in the shadow of water restrictions, however, but less onerous than those being endured in Melbourne.

Sydneysiders are still entitled to water their lawns morning or evening two days each week. Only swimming pools of greater than 10,000 litre capacity have restrictions on filling; you need to obtain a permit from the city council to fill these with tap water.

Minor water restrictions were first introduced in Sydney in 2003 when dam levels dropped below 60 percent and were progressively toughened as water levels continued to drop. Provided dam levels remain above 60 percent, Sydneysiders may hope for further easing of restrictions.