A conserve water message has been issued for Whitemark on Flinders Island, and Orford and Triabunna have entered stage two restrictions after water supplies came under strain due to an extended low-rainfall period.
Stage 2 restrictions will be introduced at Orford and Triabunna in the state’s south-east from Monday, 29 April to help maintain water supply.
TasWater Head of Communications and Engagement, Callan Paske, said that recent rain meant TasWater was able to delay the move until after the school holidays but, with little rain forecast, the next level of restrictions was required.
“Stage 2 water restrictions are still focused outside of the home and introduce further changes such as allocated days for watering gardens and sports grounds, but with the watering of lawns no longer permitted,” Mr Paske said.
“This will mean a change to the routines of some residents, but these changes will significantly boost the amount of water available in the system.”
Meanwhile, Whitemark residents are being urged to conserve water and check for leaks as levels at Henderson Dam remain low.
Mr Paske said that while the recent upgrade of the dam meant water was still available, TasWater was considering the need for water restrictions to manage the supply.
“We are now at a point in Whitemark where the water usage remains high, which is putting pressure on Henderson Dam.
“With no major rain forecast this means the dam level has reached a point where water needs to be conserved.
“A decision will be made this week on water restrictions, however at this moment it’s looking likely that Stage 1 measures will be required from Monday 29 April.”
In late 2022, TasWater completed a project to more than double the capacity of Henderson Dam providing additional water security to the residents of Whitemark.
“The upgrade to Henderson Dam allowed Whitemark residents access to water through the summer period,” Mr Paske said.
“The old dam would have been bone dry by now, and water restrictions would have been needed much earlier.”
TasWater recommends some simple ways to conserve water, which include:
- Using handheld watering methods for gardens and not watering in the middle of the day
- Using a bucket and trigger nozzle when washing cars
- Keeping showers to four minutes
- Choosing the half flush on the toilet
- Avoiding pre-rinsing dishes when using a dishwasher
“We know our climate is changing and recent data has shown in the last six years Australia has experienced three of its hottest summers since records began.
“We constantly monitor local conditions and once we’ve seen consistent rain and strong river flows, we will move quickly to lift restrictions.”
Image credit: J.J.Gouin/shutterstock.com
