- Deep Water in the Dams
- Shoalhaven Transfer Scheme
- Understanding climate change
- Groundwater readiness
Drought Restrictions
New, common sense Water Wise Rules have been introduced to replace drought restrictions for Sydney, Illawarra and the Blue Mountains.
Water restrictions remain a key element of the Metropolitan Water Plan and can be re-introduced should drought conditions return. This ability to “turn restrictions on or off’ as dam levels change is one of the adaptive management measures under the NSW Government’s Metropolitan Water Plan.
Restrictions are used around the country as a cost-effective means of reducing pressure on water supplies during drought and can enable the Government to avoid or defer the need to invest in more supply measures.
Greater Sydney’s response to the drought and falling dam levels of recent years has been nothing short of exceptional. During the recent drought water restrictions helped save over 474 billion litres, keeping more water in the dams.
It is important however to save restrictions for when the drought bites. That’s why Water Wise Rules have been introduced – to continue the common sense water wise behaviour of all Sydney-siders as well as save restrictions for when we need them.
As we update the Metropolitan Water Plan for the longer term the Government will be reviewing the drought restrictions based on lessons learnt from this recent drought and on collaborative work being undertaken at the national level.
The updated Metropolitan Water Plan is due for release in 2010.