Metro weekly water update 14 December 2018

	Target	Actual
December water use to date	12 billion litres	12 billion litres
Dam storage levels	N/A	56 per cent
Cumulative streamflow into dams	178 billion litres (Post 1975 May to December average)	145 billion litres
December rainfall to date	11.7 mm (December mean rainfall 1994-2017)   13.1mm (December average rainfall 1876-2016)	1.6 mm

Note: 1 billion litres = approx. 400 Olympic swimming pools.  Please note these figures are rounded (except for rainfall) to the nearest whole number.

 

 

Water use

 

Average daily water use over the last week was 944 million litres, which was below the forecast of 964 million litres. 

 

Since 1 July 2018, we have used 116 billion litres of water - this is 6 billion litres above what we had forecast for this period.  While we have been more ambitious in our forecast this year, water use is around the same as this time last year.

 

Dam level (total for 15 dams)

 

The dam storage level has remained steady over the past week sitting at 56 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).  Dam levels should therefore not be used as a single measure to represent the true water supply situation for Perth.

 

Streamflow (total for 15 dams)

 

From 1 May 2018 to 13 December 2018 the dams have received 145 billion litres of streamflow.  The post-1975 average for the May to December period is 178 billion litres.

 

Sprinkler roster compliance

 

The two-day-a-week sprinkler roster now applies across Perth, so make sure your sprinklers are programmed for your rostered water days and only to come on once, either before 9am or after 6pm.

 

Our team of inspectors issued 123 warnings and 111 fines this week.  Since 1 January 2018, we have taken a total of 8284 actions (warnings + fines) compared with 9636 actions for the same period in 2017.

 

Annual rainfall

 

Perth has received 741.4 mm of rainfall since January this year.  The cumulative average rainfall for January to December is 732.8 mm.

 

General water news

 

As summer begins residents living in a bushfire prone area are reminded they cannot rely on scheme water supplies during a bushfire if they plan to stay and defend their home.

 

While we would do all we could to maintain scheme water during a bushfire, damaged infrastructure or a cut to power can result in the loss of public water supplies. High demand can also lead to a drop in water pressure and water supply tanks can empty quickly.

 

Residents planning on defending their home in the event of a bushfire must ensure they have an independent water supply, and a pumping capability in the event of a total loss of power.

 

To prepare for a bushfire, including having an independent water supply, go to: www.firechat.wa.gov.au