Murray towns to stay on Stage 1 restrictions

North East Water’s Board of Directors yesterday decided to maintain Stage 1 water restrictions for customers along the Murray River until the end of December 2009.

Managing Director, Craig Heiner said the Corporation was pleased with recent customer usage levels, which has shown the community is mindful of the need to maintain water conservation in the lead-up to summer. 

“While recent rains have been an important factor, customers are also playing a responsible role in self-regulating water use,” he said.

“Provided the community continues to be conservative in its water use, and demand doesn’t rise too much, we’re confident we can stay at Stage 1 until the end of December 2009.

“Recent usage in these towns has been well below what we could have traditionally expected with customers well aware of the need to conserve water.”

“The Board considered the broader need to ensure long term sustainability and determined that maintaining Stage 1 restrictions on the Murray will enable maximum flexibility for customers, while ensuring supplies are sustainable.”

Mr Heiner said that customers along the Murray system had maintained their lower than average usage throughout the previous three months and this, combined with recent rains and the ability to purchase bulk water on the Murray River, had enabled the Corporation to maintain restrictions levels.

“We have been monitoring usage closely and this formal review by the Board has considered usage and the recent rainfall and inflows in the region.  Another formal review will be undertaken in December 2009 to determine the most appropriate restriction levels for the remainder of the summer period,” he said.

The decision applies to all towns supplied from the Murray River system, including Tallangatta, Bellbridge, Kiewa, Tangambalanga, Rutherglen, Chiltern, Barnawartha, Wahgunyah, Yarrawonga, Bundalong, Tungamah, St James and Devenish.

“We experienced a record hot dry season in 2008-09, but customers showed they understood the need to be responsible with their water usage,” Mr Heiner said.

“Our aim is to balance the need for restrictions against the ongoing positive behaviour shown by our customers, in managing water security for this summer and beyond.”