At Current Consumption Rates, Melbourne Has 18 Months' Water eft - 7 Yrs To Refill Reservoirs

[hatrack]

MELBOURNE has only 545 days of water left in storage. With just under 348,000 megalitres of water in its nine reservoirs, the city has the equivalent of just over 18 months of water in storage, based on last year's consumption rate of 1189 megalitres a day.

The alarming water shortfall has prompted experts to warn that the state won't cope with a population increase. Industry groups have also warned the drought will raise the cost of goods and services.

Yesterday Melbourne Water water supply manager John Woodland said it would take at least seven years of average rainfall to refill the city's dams. Melbourne's average yearly rainfall is 639mm, but 438mm fell last year. Mr Woodland stressed the city would not run out of water because of continued inflows from streams, plans to reconnect the Tarago Reservoir by 2010, increased savings through restrictions and increased water recycling.

Even if Melbourne can scrape through the drought, a State Government aim for another one million people in the next 25 years is under threat with rainfall expected to dip by 20 per cent over the same period. Government figures have also predicted a shortfall in water supply of 155,000 megalitres by 2030 based on present low flows into reservoirs.


EDIT

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21152262-2,00.html

[rodeodance]

1. whow. i have a friend there.

[kestrel91316]

2. I don't see a problem. They can just drink salt water, right?

:sarcasm: