Storages fall despite big April rains

Local water storages have fallen despite Geelong’s wettest April in 146 years.
Capacity fell from 65.5 to 64.2 per across the month, a decline around 1.5 billion litres, according to Barwon Water figures.
Over the same time Geelong had its second wettest April with 151mm of rain, the most since 1871.
Rain in most catchments was also “well-above“ April’s 10-year average, said Barwon Water’s Paul Northey.
The anomaly between storage and rain levels was mostly due to dry catchment soils, he said.
“The April rainfall has been effective in beginning to make the catchments wet, which is necessary for water to flow through the catchments and into our reservoirs, and minor flows into our reservoirs have occurred.
“However, further rainfall is required to maintain wet catchments, increase inflows and boost storage levels.
“The recent rainfall has not been enough to replace water consumed throughout the summer period.”
Barwon Water was “pleased” that households were using on average 44,000 litres less annually than 10 years ago, Mr Northey said.