North East Water

North East Water customers along the Murray River will enjoy increased flexibility in their water usage from 5 June as the Corporation reduces water restrictions to Stage 1.

Managing Director, Craig Heiner, said the introduction of milder restrictions would offer customers more flexibility in permissible water uses over the cooler months of the year.

“Traditionally this time of year is when water usage is at its lowest, so we are able to reduce the restriction level over winter,” he said.

“We’re aware that the low level of Lake Hume will be causing some concern, but Lake Dartmouth is holding more than 800,000 megalitres, and there is more than enough water flowing past our towns to enable us to make this change.”

“Recently it was announced that Albury may be facing Stage 4 restrictions from July and we understand that this may cause some confusion for residents in Albury/Wodonga.  Whilst we try to align restrictions between the two cities, allocations are managed differently by each State.  In Victoria we locally manage our restriction levels and based on the communities excellent embrace of water conservation we can afford to move to Stage 1 for the winter period”.

Mr Heiner said the change in restrictions will not significantly raise consumption, but will allow customers to establish lawns for new dwellings.

“At this stage we are looking at maintaining Stage 1 restrictions until at least September.  During this period customers may enjoy the benefits of a broader range of allowable water uses,” he said.

“We will be monitoring usage weekly, with a formal review by the Board in September, the result of that review will depend the ongoing usage and on how much rainfall and inflow the region receives over the coming winter and spring.”

Mr Heiner said that on the whole customers along the Murray system had reduced their usage throughout the summer.

“We just experienced a hot dry season, but customers showed they understood the need to be responsible with their water usage,” he said.

“This kind of self-regulation really helps us to manage drought, and enables us to carry forward our unused allocation to the following year, providing further benefits to customers.”

The reduction in water restrictions applies to Wodonga, Baranduda, Killara, Bonegilla, Ebden, Leneva, Chiltern, Rutherglen and Wahgunyah, Kiewa, Tangambalanga, Tallangatta and Bellbridge.

Unfortunately because of the scheduled drawdown of Lake Mulwala, Yarrawonga, Tungamah, St James and Devenish will remain on Stage 2 water restrictions, while Bundalong has already moved to Stage 4.

Meanwhile, North East Water will complete the connection of Barnawartha to the Wodonga-Chiltern pipeline on 5^th June, which will see Barnawartha move to Stage 1 water restrictions, in line with the majority of the Murray-supplied towns.