Perth weekly water update - 6 August 2021
| Target | Actual | |
|---|---|---|
| August water use to date |
3.5 billion litres |
3.8 billion litres |
| Dam storage levels | N/A | 55.6% |
| Monthly streamflow into dams | N/A | 15.97 billion litres |
| August rainfall to date | 132.90 mm (August average rainfall 1876-2016) | 11.40 mm |
| Note: 1 billion litres = approximately 400 Olympic swimming pools. Please note the figures in this table are rounded (except for rainfall) to the nearest whole number. | ||
Water use
Daily water use for the last 5 days
| Date | Actual water use (million litres) | Forecast water use (million litres) |
|---|---|---|
| 06/08/2021 | N/A | N/A |
| 05/08/2021 | N/A | N/A |
| 04/08/2021 | 631 | 584 |
| 03/07/2021 | 603 | 584 |
| 02/07/2021 | 684 | 584 |
| Note, water use is calculated up to 8am each day for the previous 24 hour period. | ||
Since 1 July 2021 to August 4, we have used 21.16 billion litres of water – which is 0.98 billion litres above the forecast target for this period.
Dam levels (total for 15 dams)
The dam storage levels are slightly up on last week and are sitting at a combined 55.6 per cent* of full capacity.
*Please note some dams are filled from different sources - dam levels include the transfer of groundwater and desalinated seawater from treatment plants as well as streamflow (that comes from rainfall). As we use many different sources of water, dams are no longer an accurate indicator of the health of Perth's overall water supply situation.
Streamflow (total for 15 dams)
From 1 May 2021, the dams have received 66.6 billion litres of streamflow. The post-1975 average for the May to April period (called the streamflow year) is 175.59 billion litres.
Sprinkler roster compliance
Since 1 January 2021, we have taken a total of 4,047 actions (warnings + fines) compared with 3,934 actions for the same period in 2020.
Annual rainfall
Perth has received 610.2mm of rainfall since 1 January 2021. The average (1876-2016) rainfall for the same period to the end of August is 676.5mm.
General water news
This week we announced the completion on one of our biggest projects over the past few years, the Albany to Denmark pipeline.
This 43-kilometre pipeline has been built to secure a reliable supply of water to residents and businesses in Denmark following years of declining rainfall due to climate change.
While the pipeline is not currently required thanks to a wet July, it will be used in the future to alternate Denmark’s water supply between the Lower Great Southern Town Water Supply Scheme and Quickup Dam as required.
Completing this project was a momentous occasion for Water Corporation project staff and contractors, following years of detailed planning and community consultation. The project came in under budget, with more than $6.2 million invested back into the region.
Read more about the Denmark pipeline here.