Metro weekly water update
| Target | Actual | |
|---|---|---|
| October water use to date | 11.7 billion litres |
11.6 billion litres |
| Dam storage levels | NA | 50.7 per cent |
| Monthly streamflow into dams | N/A | 2.29 billion litres |
| October rainfall to date | 51.5 mm (Oct average rainfall 1876-2016) | 12.6 mm |
| Note: 1 billion litres = approximately 400 Olympic swimming pools. Please note the figures in this table are rounded (except for rainfall) to the nearest whole number. | ||
Water use
Average water use over the past week was 752 million litres per day, which was below the forecast of 749 million litres.
Daily water use for the last 5 days
| Date | Actual water use (million litres) | Forecast water use (million litres) |
|---|---|---|
| 16/10/2020 | 780 | 762 |
| 15/10/2020 | 755 | 762 |
| 14/10/2020 | 685 | 762 |
| 13/10/2020 | 755 | 762 |
| 12/10/2020 | 798 | 731 |
| Note, water use is calculated up to 8am each day for the previous 24 hour period. | ||
Since 1 July 2020, we have used 66.64 billion litres of water – which is 0.70 billion litres under the forecast target for this period.
Dam levels (total for 15 dams)
The dam storage levels have decreased slightly this week and are sitting at a combined 50.7 per cent* of full capacity.
*Please note some dams are filled from different sources - dam levels include the transfer of groundwater and desalinated seawater from treatment plants as well as streamflow (that comes from rainfall). As we use many different sources of water, dams are no longer an accurate indicator of the health of Perth's overall water supply situation.
Streamflow (total for 15 dams)
From 1 May 2020 the dams have received 37.0 billion litres of streamflow. The post-1975 average for the May to April period (called the streamflow year) is 176.73 billion litres.
Sprinkler roster compliance
Since 1 January 2020, we have taken a total of 4580 actions (warnings + fines) compared with 6837 actions for the same period in 2019.
Annual rainfall
Perth has received 581.4 mm of rainfall since 1 January 2020. The average (1994-2019) rainfall for the same period to the end of October is 694.1 mm.
General water news
Did you know we use over 40% of our water in the garden alone? As the days get warmer, there’s no better time to create your own waterwise garden ready in time for summer.
There are three easy ways to do this;
- Start by improving your soil before planting by mixing organic matter and soil improver into the top 30cm of soil. Good soil is the foundation of a healthy, waterwise garden.
- Next, apply 5 -10 cm of hard, chunky mulch which will help to keep sunlight out. Mulch is great for saving water and suppressing weed growth in your garden and can help to achieve water savings of up to 20%.
- Use a wetting agent. A wetting agent is a product that is applied to your garden that allows your soil to absorb more water. Always water in wetting agents until they foam. This means they are activated and doing their job.
Remember: The healthier your soil is, the more drought resistant your plants will be!
For more waterwise tips and advice, please visit www.watercorporation.com.au/Waterwise.