15 December 2009
Emergency water restrictions have been imposed on all Hills Plain residential users because of a critical drop in supply in the local reservoir.
Tamworth Regional Council moved to introduce Level 1 water rules immediately (today Tuesday December 15) in an effort to curb consumption and ensure water supplies to the new residential suburb.
TRC has appealed to residents to cut back their water use by about 20% in an effort to sustain supply.
Water Enterprises spokesman Michael McGufficke says town users have been using more water than the pumping station is currently able to pump into the reservoir that supplies town water to Hills Plain.
Current figures show the daily consumption is about 950 kilolitres and TRC wants that cut back to below 850 kilolitres. Consumption has risen by over 20% in the past two weeks and the level of use is more than the capacity to supply.
The tough new restrictions mean sprinklers and fixed hoses are only able to be used between 6:00pm and 8:00pm. Hand held hoses fitted with trigger nozzles can be used between 6:00pm and 8am.
Mr McGufficke says the water supply at Hills Plain is at a critical level and if the current demand continues the reservoir would be empty by Christmas.
‘We are appealing for homeowners in the Hills Plain area to cut back, and cut back as much as they can, so we can get supply back to a sustainable level and not have the risk of running dry,” Mr McGufficke said.
The situation at Hills Plain occurred because a water main constructed by a developer burst two weeks ago and almost completely drained the reservoir. Since then, the old pumping station has been working 24/7 to refill the five megalitre water storage but demand has outstripped supply.
Basically, the water level is going backwards and the pump cannot catch up.
“In the last 14 days we have dropped 20% and on the current levels of consumption that means the reservoir would be dry by Christmas,” Mr McGufficke said.
“So we need people to heed the restrictions and to do as much as they can to conserve supply. An improvement in the weather and a reduction in consumption generally go hand in hand. We’re also mindful, that in the present conditions, we are also facing the danger of bushfires.”
“We need to get the reservoir back to about 50% to be in a safer place and to do that we have to go easier on our consumption there so the capacity can get back to a sustainable figure.”
The emergency restrictions have been imposed to help that situation as a temporary measure. The new pumping station that will eventually handle the Hills Plain residential development is still being constructed and will not be completed until about February. It will have a capacity to pump about 10 times as much as the old station and is set to serve an expanded population in the areas. About 300 properties are currently served by the town water supply in the area.