This summer, we’ve seen impacts to our region’s water supply that we’ve never experienced before.
The climate is changing – and so is the way we need to manage our water supply process.
Fires, floods, storms, extreme weather events and droughts all impact on how we manage and supply our services.
During these events, changes to the water in rivers, lakes and storages in our region means that sometimes you might notice changes to the way your water tastes, smells or looks. Severe weather can make it harder to treat the water, but we’ll always do our best to provide you with the highest quality, reliable supply.
We source our water from rivers, creeks, channels and lakes. These can be impacted by low inflows or rainfall, poor water quality, blue-green algae, debris and organics, floods, storms and more.
Floods and rainfall events can also impact our infrastructure above or below the ground, for example, over capacity inflows to recycled water storages, inundating or bursting pipelines and more.
Sometimes, this might mean you notice slight changes to the way your water tastes or smells. Or, we may need your help in conserving water. Your sewer might run slower during floods when the network is under extreme pressure.
We’re working on adapting to manage climate impacts – but we know there’s no quick fix or easy solution.
To prepare, we are:
- Diversifying our water sources
- Building resilience into the way we treat and supply water
- Upgrading our infrastructure in high growth areas to meet demand and manage climate-related impacts
- Working towards net zero emissions and prioritising renewable energy
- Mapping and planning for potential future events.
In the meantime, we are closely monitoring and testing our water to make sure it meets all drinking water guidelines.
We promise to keep you updated on any changes that relate to your services. We’ll also keep you updated as we continue to build our resilience for the future.
Rest assured that we’re working around the clock to ensure you have a safe and reliable water supply.