Why has Melbourne remained in Stage 3a water restrictions when trigger levels of other stages of restrictions have been crossed?
Stage 3a water restrictions have been achieving water savings almost equivalent to savings estimated for Stage 4. Remaining on Stage 3a restrictions has helped to avoid the impacts of Stage 4 restrictions, which effectively prohibits all outside water use, significantly impacting residential customers, businesses dependent on outdoor water use, and community sporting facilities. While Melbourne dipped below the Stage 4 trigger point in late May 2007, this was at the start of the filling season. Given that water use during the winter months is typically low, and storages were unlikely to remain below the Stage 4 trigger for a significant period of time, Stage 3a continued. The decision to remain in Stage 3a was proven correct as storages recovered to above the Stage 3a trigger during early winter 2007. Likewise, Melbourne storage levels have risen slightly above the Stage 3a trigger level but we have remained in Stage 3a (not moved into Stage 2) in order to provide some certainty to the
