Coliban Water has forecast the 2017/18 rural season will open at an allocation of 100 per cent due to strong catchment storage levels.
The forecast figure will help rural customers with forward planning for their homes and businesses, and is based on the latest assessment of water that will be available for the next rural season.
Coliban Water Manager Raw Water Supply, Steve Healy, said that the forecast is preliminary advice at this stage and is good news for rural customers after the peak summer demand period.
“We are well placed after summer, primarily due to a wet spring last year,” Mr Healy said.
“Lauriston, Malmsbury and Upper Coliban reservoirs are currently at 78 per cent with a total volume of 54,206 megalitres. Compared to the same time last year that is a 35 per cent increase.
“Malmsbury reservoir received 90mm of rain over summer which was 20mm more than last year.”
Coliban Water has taken into account supply over the next two seasons and forecast what is anticipated to be available in storage for the 2017/18 rural season.
“We predict over winter and spring our storages will receive adequate inflows which should secure the 100 percent allocation before next summer,” Mr Healy said.
“Rural customers should be pleased that early forecasts indicate full allocations to be in line with allocations provided over the last few years.
“We will update our rural customers over the coming months to further assist them in their preparations for the next season.”
Opening allocation will be determined and announced on 1 July 2017.
