QLD: Dalby has only eight hours of water left: mayor

AAP General News (Australia)
12-01-2009
QLD: Dalby has only eight hours of water left: mayor

By David Barbeler

BRISBANE, Dec 1 AAP - Ten consecutive hot days in Queensland's western downs region
has left Dalby with less than half a day's supply of water.

Western Downs Regional Council mayor Ray Brown said despite the council pumping 4.5
megalitres from the town's bores per day, an unusually long period of hot weather has
resulted in the town using six megalitres per day.

With the town's weir and the Condamine River dry, only two megalitres are left in storage.

"Water is coming in all the time, but the reality is we've got only about 15 per cent
available in our reservoirs, which is about two megalitres," he said.

"If they continue at their present consumption, we have only eight hours left."

Level five water restrictions were introduced last week however Mr Brown said the town
would soon have to move to level six.

"Our concern is since we've lifted to level five, we've had an increase in our water
consumption," he said.

"If we go to level six there will be no external watering allowed at all."

Mr Brown said council had fast tracked two projects, including a water recycling plant
and another bore, both of which will be online in March.

"But that doesn't stop the situation at present and it's due to the unusually long
period of hot weather, where we've seen ten hot days straight," he said.

"(The town) is not going to go without drinking water, but we've got to bring in implementations
of tougher water restrictions early."

AAP djb/maur

KEYWORD: WATER QLD

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