Storages surging

A weekend deluge has more than doubled the water level of the region’s main reservoir.
West Barwon Reservoir surged past 54 per cent capacity on Wednesday after languishing at less than a quarter full last week.
Up to 200 millimetres of rain in the Otway catchment replenished total storage levels to 38 per cent capacity, up more than seven per cent in a week.
More run off was still flowing into West Barwon yesterday, with storages set to top 40 per cent capacity by the weekend.
Other Otway storages were overflowing this week, while struggling reservoirs to the north of Geelong also enjoyed a combined top up nudging 200 million litres.
Barwon Water expected the yield from last weekend’s rain to reach about nine billion litres of extra water in the storages today.
The water authority has temporarily turned off bores in the Otways as a channel to Wurdee Boluc, which holds Geelong’s supply, runs at full capacity from West Barwon.
Barwon Water executive director Michael Malouf welcomed the rain warned that the region was “a long way from being out of the woods”.
“Storages are still low and stage four water restrictions daylight savings will remain well into next year,” he said.
“Accordingly, we need to continue to save water.”
Barwon Water executive manager water systems Carl Bicknell said the rain had also cut consumption to 73Ml in the week ending Tuesday.
“Average daily consumption for October was 71Ml. We had seen a slight increase on this since the change to water restrictions but the rain has brought usage back down.”
Barwon Water eased restrictions last month to allow watering of gardens with trigger fitted hoses for two hours twice a week.
Mr Bicknell hoped the rain had topped up household tanks for use on gardens, washing machines and toilets to continue limiting consumption.