Recent rainfall across the Armidale region of NSW has come as welcome news for farmers and rural landowners, however the local council said it’s had minimal impact on Malpas Dam and other local dams.
Storage levels in the much smaller Guyra Dam has seen its capacity increase to 31 per cent, or six weeks of supply, and will mean the Malpas Dam pipeline will soon not be required to pump water to Guyra for the next couple of months.
The Armidale Regional Council is urging residents to continue to conserve water to maintain, or hopefully improve, current water usage of approximately 135L per person per day to conserve supplies.
Armidale Regional Council Mayor, Simon Murray, said meteorologists had predicted the recent above average rainfall however forecasts for below average rainfall are likely for the next four months.
“The widespread rainfall we’ve had across the region has been extremely welcome. It’s filled property dams, filled water tanks and provided much needed moisture in the landscape,” Mr Murray said.
“It’s important now that we continue to receive follow-up rain and above average rainfall for at least five months to have any impact on town water supplies and restrictions. Unfortunately this is not in the forecast.”
Recent rainfall has provided an additional two weeks of supply to Malpas Dam. This means level 5 water restrictions remain in place for the foreseeable future and there may be a possibility that the council tightens restrictions even further.
The council said it has updated its day zero countdown for the region which now sits at 398 days or February 2021.
“Every little bit helps and extends our day zero,” Mr Murray said.
“The great work residents and businesses are doing now to change their behaviour towards water conservation long term is extending our water supply.”
