New SEQ water formula: 60% + 6 months ...

New SEQ water formula: 60% + 6 months

19 April 2009

South-East Queensland residents could face a six-month wait to enjoy another easing in water restrictions, even if the region's dam levels reach the 60 per cent trigger long touted as marking the end of the drought.

Six urban areas, including Brisbane, Ipswich and Logan, moved from high to medium level restrictions a week ago after rain pushed combined dam levels above 50 per cent capacity.

Less than 1 per cent stands between the current dam levels and 60 per cent capacity - the benchmark for declaring an end to the region's eight-year drought.

The areas affected by stringent water restrictions were expected to move to the Queensland Water Commission's lowest level when the Wivenhoe, Somerset and North Pine combined dam level reached this trigger point.

However, the State Government is now pressuring the water commission to wait at least six months after the 60 per cent target is reached to drop the region to "permanent water conservation measures".

The anticipated move to low-level restrictions would increase the 200 litre-per-person-per-day usage limit, introduced under the current medium level restrictions, to 230 litres.

It would remove most of the tough hosing rules, shifting the focus from stringent restrictions to simply limiting outdoor usage during the hottest parts of the day.

However, people are still using less than 130 litres of water per person a day - harking back to the Target 130 limit in place under the high-level restrictions in place in recent years.

Natural Resources Minister Stephen Robertson said the latest easing in water restrictions occurred only last week, and decision makers should learn lessons from the past.

"If we have learnt anything from the last four years of restrictions it is how precious a resource water is," he said in a statement, issued this morning.

"With dams hovering close to the 60 per cent trigger mark, another easing of water restrictions appears imminent."

Mr Robertson said he felt it was still too early to tell how the recent relaxing of restrictions would affect water consumption.

"I met with the Queensland Water Commissioner Elizabeth Nosworthy on Friday requesting the Commission give consideration to maintaining current restrictions for six months if the dams reach 60 per cent capacity," he said.

"We need to remember that it was only about a year and a half ago in August 2007, that the combined levels in the dams were at the lowest levels at just 16.7 per cent.

"We don't know if the current good rain in SEQ will continue in the long term and I think we all need to be conscious of not unnecessarily wasting our water during the good times in case the dry times return."

Mr Robertson said the water commission would make its own decision on whether to accept his suggestion.

The Sunshine Coast and Redland City, which have been separate from the Queensland Water Commission restrictions because of their historically independent water supplies, are due to move onto the regional restrictions on July 1.

Redland City Council has been advising residents to get ready for medium-level restrictions.

See - Brisbane Times - New SEQ water formula: 60% + 6 months.

As we all know, the QWC will do exactly as Anna Bligh wants.  It's the left hand of the Qld Labor government telling the right hand of the Qld Labor government what to do.

The sooner Anna Bligh realises that we understand the farce of using the QWC for cover, the sooner she can send Elizabeth Nosworthy to the corporate knackery and Qld can save some money on her salary ...