The Eurobodalla is facing water restrictions this summer with the absence of significant rainfall, according to the Eurobodalla Shire Council.
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The council is expected to release dates for water restrictions within coming days.
The region has seen sporadic downpours of up to 10 millimetres per day during late spring, however more rain is needed to quash the possibility of water restrictions.
On November 7, a council spokesperson said water restrictions are being discussed, however the reinstatement of water restrictions can be triggered by several factors, not just water storage levels.
The region's water supply comes from the Deua River and the Tuross River, making up a total catchment area of 3500 square kilometres. Water from the Deua River is pumped into Deep Creek Dam and Tuross River water is pumped to the Southern Water Treatment plant near Bodalla.
Currently, the Deep Creek Dam is 99 per cent full. Water restrictions are typically enforced when water levels of the rivers drop and the region solely relies on water from the dam.
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The spokesperson said the Deua and Tuross rivers are still high enough to pump from and during peak usage times, water at the Big Rock Reservoir near Bodalla is used.
Despite the Bureau of Meteorology declaring an El Nino event this summer, the council said their November 2022 Water Restrictions Policy would not be altered.
At Level 1 water restrictions, sprinklers, micro-spray systems and washing hard surfaces like driveways and decks are banned. In October 2019, the council enforced Level 1 restrictions.
In January 2020, three weeks out from the Black Summer bushfires, the council enforced Level 4 restrictions which banned drip-irrigation systems, topping up and filling pools and spas, limited washing vehicles to 6am-8am and 6pm-8pm and limited watering gardens and lawns to using a watering can or buckets only.
Since 2016, a $130 million project to build a 3000-megalitre storage dam west of Bodalla has been on the council's agenda, with the facility still on track to be completed in 2024.
The Southern Water Supply Storage will supplement the shire's existing water supply and reduce the need for water restrictions in the future.
Megan McClelland
Megan McClelland is a journalist for Australian Community Media working in the Eurobodalla. Email: megan.mcclelland@austcommunitymedia.com.au Mobile: 0448194726
Megan McClelland is a journalist for Australian Community Media working in the Eurobodalla. Email: megan.mcclelland@austcommunitymedia.com.au Mobile: 0448194726
