Without lowering water use, some towns could face the first water restrictions in 17 years as the dry summer bites regional Victoria.
North East Water is calling on Yackandandah residents to voluntarily reduce household water use from now until 13 March 2026 as dry weather and increased summer demand place pressure on the town’s water supply.
Nine Mile Creek, which supplies drinking water to the community, is currently experiencing very low flows. At the same time, water use across Yackandandah has risen significantly over summer, particularly during two recent heatwave events.
“Yackandandah typically uses around 700,000 litres of water per day over summer, but recently, demand has climbed to as high as 1.3 million litres. Our goal for the next four weeks is to bring daily use back down to the usual level of 700,000 litres,” said North East Water General Manager Operations, Systems and Environment, John Day.
Coliban Water in northern Victoria is another region that faced pressures of week-long heatwaves and devastating bushfires in January which put growing pressure on its storage resources. Daily water use records across central and northern Victoria were broken multiple times during the January heat spells, with the second heatwave around the Australia Day recording usage as high as 66 percent more than that used on cooler days in summer.
Reducing outdoor water use is the most effective way to lower daily demand. Residents are encouraged to avoid non-essential water use such as washing cars or cleaning windows, water gardens only early in the morning or late in the evening, and limit how often watering occurs. The community is also urged to follow the Permanent Water Saving Rules and report leaks or bursts at any time on 1300 361 644.
North East Water said indoor actions also make a difference, such as taking shorter showers, running dishwashers and washing machines only when full, choosing the half flush on toilets, and turning off taps while brushing teeth or shaving.
“We know Yackandandah is a community that pulls together when it matters and by making small changes every day, residents can help protect their local water supply during this dry period,” Day said.
