Glenbawn Dam Falling Into Summer

GLENBAWN Dam is currently at 64 percent of its storage capacity and falling, but Water NSW said water security in the area is possibly the best in the state.

“Broadly speaking with general security irrigators enjoying full allocation, unlike their contemporaries almost everywhere else and dam levels quite high the water security situation in that area of the Hunter is probably the most favourable in regional New South Wales,” said Tony Webber from Water NSW.

However, many mines downstream throughout the Upper Hunter have dwindling onsite water storage and will be drawing further on their water licences from the Dam to continue operation.

Steven McDonald, general manager of the Upper Hunter Shire Council said the Council is considering voluntary water restrictions.

“We need to conserve water as a community as this drought continues and there needs to be a discipline whereby residents are responsible with their use of water,” Mr McDonald.

“We need to plan for a prolonged drought, because water” he said.

“We’d prefer to be conservative now and get people water-wise,” he said.

“In the middle of summer we don’t want to see people watering their lawns in the middle of the day and things like that, there won’t be any fines associated with it, but we want people to conserve water,” he said.

“The highest consumption is over summer and it would be good for people to start conserving water,” he said.

“And we need to remember we have people in the Shire that have no access to water and we need to be more respectful of everyone in our community,” he said.

“Before we bring in the any voluntary restrictions we will consult with the community and neighbouring Councils,” Steve McDonald said.

Glenbawn Dam is now at 67 percent capacity.