Melbourne's water industry has issued a dire warning to residents to cut back on their water usage as the first hot spell of summer sent consumption levels skyrocketing to 239 litres per person per day.
Western Water Managing Director John Wilkinson warned the region's householders of the inevitable consequences of not staying at or below the target 155 litres per person per day.
"It is an absolute imperative we keep our water use within the Stage 3a restrictions target otherwise reservoir levels will drop to the trigger-point where there will be no alternative except to bring in more stringent restrictions," Mr Wilkinson said.
"And this could well happen again soon - Melbourne's reservoirs, on which we are all dependent, are well below last year and we are just at the very start of another long, hot, dry summer."
"Householders use 85% of the water in Western Water's systems," he said.
"It gets back to the four-minute minute shower, which saves 60 litres of water compared to the average seven-minute shower. With a water-efficient showerhead, a further 11 litres per minute can be saved.
"And when you consider that watering the garden with a hand-held hose can use up to 600 litres in just half an hour, this will blow out one day's consumption target for a small household, without even counting shower, toilet and kitchen water use," Mr Wilkinson said.
He also reminded people of the impact of evaporative air coolers on their water consumption.
"Over the past week, many people turned on their evaporative air conditioners, which are heavy water users, although lower energy users than reverse cycle conditioners," he said.
"This week has given us a very disturbing insight into our capacity to stay on target when the going gets tough."
Mr Wilkinson said Western Water wrote to all its non-residential customers this week urging greater involvement by the commercial/industrial sector in the metropolitan-wide Target 155 campaign.
"The Target 155 Campaign has been broadened to embrace the non-residential sector in a parallel Support Target 155 Campaign.
"We have targeted businesses using one million to 10 million litres per year, which includes nurseries, car wash centres, private and public aged care centres, schools, gyms and small urban producers and manufacturers, as well as retailers," said.
" They have been invited to register with the Support 155 Campaign, which will entitle them to access water audit and business adaption programs and resources and it also broadens the residential showerhead exchange into the commercial sector.
"This way, venues with shower facilities, such as local gyms and sporting clubs, will be able to exchange multiple showerhead units and upgrade the water efficiency of their premises." Mr Wilkinson said people must manage their own water use more closely both at home and at work as the hot months of summer settle in.
"If we don't stay on target and restrictions go back to Stage 4 levels again, there will be no watering outside allowed at all," he warned.
Mr Wilkinson urged people to start taking up the State Government's water tank rebate offer and the other rebates and help available to cut consumption and put sustainable systems in place for years to come.
"Summer is a time to prepare for rains in autumn and winter, to make sure systems are in place and working well to maximise the water efficiency of homes and gardens.
"Even though there is not much rain in the short term forecast ahead, if people put systems in place, they will be able to develop gardens to withstand drought and climate change," he said.
Tips of the week
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Keep your house cool and save both water and energy by closing windows and curtains on hot, windy days when you go out or to work.
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If using an air conditioner, set it for 25 degrees Celsius and wear cool clothing to save on the resources needed to achieve lower temperatures.
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