MYRTLEFORD households have made a solid start in reducing their water use over the past two weeks, but more is still needed.
North East Water (NEW) is continuing to appeal to the community to reduce water usage, to help stave off potential forced restrictions in the wake of drier seasonal conditions which have not seen water storages fully replenished.
Myrtleford hit it's new target to reduce average water usage per household from 590 litres per day down to 505 litres per day, eight out of 14 days over the past two weeks.
NEW's general manager of environment, systems and operations, John Day, said the statistics show progress, but greater consistency is needed to avoid the possibility of water restrictions in Myrtleford over the coming weeks or months.
“Over the past two weeks, the Myrtleford community has made a solid start in responding to the call to reduce water usage, but there’s still work to do," he said.
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"Rainfall last Friday and Monday/Tuesday this week was certainly welcome, but it’s important to remember that we would need sustained rainfall of around 100mm over a month to restore stream flows to the level required for water extraction from Buffalo Creek to resume.
“We’re also hopeful for good winter rain, but we can’t rely on it alone.
"That’s why we’re asking everyone across our entire region to continue using water wisely.
“Every small action makes a difference; whether it’s taking shorter showers, fixing leaks, choosing water-efficient appliances, or importantly, cutting back on the time spent watering lawns and gardens.”
The water storage levels of Lake Buffalo, where Myrtleford ultimately sources its water from, have steadily declined from 95.10 per cent in January this year to its current 51.74 per cent.
For Myrtleford's water usage statistics and more information about smart water-saving tips, visit www.waterwise.tips/myrtleford.
