The General Manager of Central Tablelands Water (CTW), Gavin Rhodes, has advised that the Council of CTW resolved at its June 2019 meeting to implement Level 3 Water Restrictions from 1 July 2019.
Mr Rhodes said “Although water supply demand has reduced significantly due to the much cooler winter period, the storage level at Lake Rowlands (CTW’s water source) has continued to fall due to the prolonged drought. Lake Rowlands historically fills over the winter period, however, the long term rainfall forecast for the Lake Rowlands catchment area is not looking favourable.”
Under CTW’s current Water Restrictions Policy, Level 3 restrictions are triggered when Lake Rowlands falls to 50%. CTW’s chairman, Cr David Somervaille said, “Although we have received approximately 17 millimetres of rain in the Lake Rowlands catchment over the past fortnight, any inflows have been offset by our outflows.
Therefore, by considering all current and historical data, resolving to implement level 3 restrictions from 1 July was a unanimous decision by the Board. Our consumers are to be commended for their vigilance in meeting our Level 2 restriction targets, and I have no doubt the same will apply when Level 3 restrictions come into effect.”
Level 3 restrictions consists of an “odds and evens” system under which watering of gardens and lawns is permitted only every second day between the times of 7am to 10am and 4pm to 7pm, with the use of microsprays, drip systems and soaker hoses only.
Additional approval has been granted by Council for the use of a hand held trigger hose for up to 1 hour per allocated watering day to water gardens only. All information pertaining to the requirements of Level 3 Water Restrictions is available on CTW’s website at www.ctw.nsw.gov.au or by contacting the CTW administration office on 02 6391 7200.
CTW will continue to closely monitor the inflows into Lake Rowlands and long term rainfall forecasts of the Bureau of Meteorology.