Water Conservation Vital Even Though Rainy Conditions are Predicted

Media release – TasWater, 15 October 2021

Water conservation vital even though rainy conditions are predicted

So far spring has brought some rainy conditions, but as summer approaches TasWater is encouraging Tasmanians to continue to be mindful of their water use.

Climate models are predicting above average rainfall over the coming months, but changing conditions makes managing water supplies challenging.

TasWater Climate Change Strategy Lead Luc Richard said conserving water is important all-year-round, even when the state is experiencing wet weather.

“Just because it is raining does not always mean that water supplies are increasing overall,” he said.

“Rainfall does help fill storages including our dams, but about half of our supplies rely on continuing good water flows in rivers and creeks.

“Also, we are only able to treat a certain amount of water at a time and each summer brings increased demand on our systems as our customers need and use more water.

“The warmer temperatures can also bring other challenges to the treatment process and sometimes requires more intensive treatment to ensure water continues to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

“If we are mindful of our water use throughout the year, we can get into some good water conserving habits when our supplies are at their peak demand.”

This year, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), sea surface temperatures in the central tropical Pacific Ocean have cooled and Australia is on a La Niña watch from October.

“La Niña is one of the two primary drivers of weather conditions in the spring and summer period.

“It increases the chances of above-average rainfall for northern and eastern Australia during spring and summer, which is what we are predicting and have already seen.”

Despite increased rainfall in some parts of Tasmania and the favourable rainfall outlook, conserving water is still a vitally important habit as water is a finite resource and drier than normal conditions will eventually return.

“Our climate is changing, and our rainfall patterns will differ year on year, so it is important to be mindful of our water use, not just for now but for the future.”

“Cities like Hobart are growing and much of their water infrastructure is ageing. We are pushing forward with infrastructure upgrades, like at the Bryn Estyn Water Treatment Plant which supplies our Hobart customers but upgrades aside, as individuals, industry, agriculture and communities, we can make a big difference in protecting our shared water by using it wisely all the time.