Stawell residents will be free to water their lawns and gardens as of tomorrow, with GWMWater announcing a radical move from stage four to stage one water restrictions.
The easing of restrictions means residents can water their lawns and gardens using the odds and evens system for house numbers.
GWMWater Chairman, Barry Clugston, announced yesterday that a number of customer groups supplied from the Grampians system, including Stawell, Ararat and Horsham, would move from stage four to stage one.
This also includes towns and rural properties currently connected to Supply Systems 1 and 2 of the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline.
Rural customers not yet connected or receiving an emergency supply only from the pipeline in Supply Systems 3, 4 and 6 will remain on stage four water restrictions until these systems are complete.
Mr Clugston said the water savings starting to be realised from the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline and recent inflows into the Grampians Reservoirs had made the decision to ease restriction levels possible.
``With reservoir levels currently holding 114,670 ML of water, there is now enough water available to meet consumptive demands for the next two years,'' Mr Clugston said.
``Water is also being returned to some areas of the environment and allocations to some recreation lakes have recently been made, so the picture for our region is looking considerably brighter.
``After many years of unprecedented drought, the board is pleased to be able to offer relief to this group of customers who have worked so co-operatively with us during these extremely difficult times.
``It must be remembered however that without the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline, the amount of water currently in our reservoirs would not be enough to do a full channel run this year, with our Grampians supplied customers remaining heavily restricted and continuing to rely on water carting.
``The Wimmera Mallee Pipeline has taken our region from being in one of the most vulnerable water supply situations in Victoria to one of better security. We take this opportunity to again acknowledge and thank our project partners, the Australian and Victorian Governments, for their commitment to this vital regional project.
``We also recognise that some rural customers in Supply Systems 4 and 6 are not yet connected to the pipeline. We assure these customers that every effort is being made to connect them up as quickly as possible so that they can be relieved of the ongoing burden of water carting.''
Mr Clugston said other arrangements to ease the burden of water carting on these customers continue to be investigated. These could include a further increase in the frequency of the GWMWater water carting program, possibly supported by a limited and targeted summer channel run in some parts of the Supply System 6 area, depending on pipeline progress.
``The situation for these customers will be carefully monitored in the lead up to summer,'' Mr Clugston said.
Around 7,800 km of the 8,800 km pipeline has now been laid.
Towns and rural customers supplied from Mount William's system (including Willaura, Lake Bolac, Wickliffe and Moyston) will move from stage two to Permanent Water Saving Rules as these systems have received very good inflows over the past few months. This also applies to the towns of Buangor and Elmhurst, whose catchments have fully recovered over recent weeks.
``These outcomes are consistent with advice that we received from our special Drought Reference Committee over the past week and we would like to recognise their valuable advice on these matters,'' Mr Clugston said.
What is permitted under stage one water restrictions:
Gardens: Odds and evens 6am to 8am and 8pm to 10pm using manual sprinklers. Between midnight and 4am using automatic sprinklers, using a hand held hose with trigger nozzle anytime. Using bucket or watering can anytime.
Pools and ponds: New and existing above 2000 litres - permit required. Top up with trigger nozzle, bucket or watering can is permitted.
Washing Vehicles: Hand held hose with trigger to re-rinse and rinse only. High pressure washer can be used. Commercial car wash. Bucket of watering can filled by tap.
Cleaning Windows: Bucket filled directly from tap. After accident, fire, health hazard etc with trigger nozzle hose. Construction of renovation work by high pressure cleaner.
Paved Areas: Hand held hose (trigger nozzle), only if there is a health and safety issue.
Dams and Tanks: Written consent from authority.
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