Recent rainfall and an easing of the El Nino (boy child) weather event could help ease the need to introduce water restrictions across the MidCoast Council area - at lease until later in the summer.
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Announced by the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) in late September, El Nino results in warmer and drier conditions with minimal rainfall, increasing the risk of heat waves and bushfires.
"We will be monitoring the weather conditions predicted coming into summer," water management and treatment manager, Chenxi Zeng reported to councillors attending the November council meeting.
"At this stage, water restrictions may not be necessary until later in summer.
"The recent rainfall events have brought some short-term relief and the predictions are for the El-Nino event to start to weaken in the coming months," Ms Zeng said.
"We have continued to achieve a high level of compliance with guidelines and licence conditions."
One sewer overflow was recorded during the month due to tree roots causing a blockage and subsequent surcharge from a manhole in Ann Street, Taree, while action was being taken against a user of the Dawson River recycling system who recently flood-irrigated a paddock causing issues with other users not able to access enough pressure to drive irrigation.
"The levels of treated and recycled wastewater reflect the dryer conditions with significant irrigation demand.
"Due to the agricultural irrigation demand, the Dawson River recycling system is operating at or near full capacity.
"Rationing of use will likely be required in the coming months."
Infrastructure and engineering services director, Rob Scott said council had been carefully monitoring conditions at the back end of what had been a very dry period through the majority of this year.
"The last month or so has brought around a bit of an easing of the significance of those conditions with some rainfall events during that period," Mr Scott said.
The last month or so has brought around a bit of an easing of the significance of those conditions with some rainfall events during that period.
- Infrastructure and engineering services director, Rob Scott
"We already have good levels in storage over the previous years of wet weather that we have had, so we were already in a good position.
"But, things were looking like we could end up with restrictions over summer.
"I think it is unlikely we will have them until later in summer if there is dry conditions
"At this stage El Nino is predicted to ease coming into early next year - exactly what that means in terms of rainfall is yet to be seen - but we will continue to monitor the situation closely."
Cr Dheera Smith said all levels of council have been invited to a drought and water workshop at the Forster Civic Centre where advice on drought resistant plants will be given and the council will receive the water health report card.
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Jeanene Duncan
Jeanene has more than 40 years experience as a regional and rural journalist starting at The Land Newspaper. She also worked for Stock Journal Newspaper (SA), McPherson, Fairfax newspapers and Rural Press, and contributed to various magazines.
Jeanene has more than 40 years experience as a regional and rural journalist starting at The Land Newspaper. She also worked for Stock Journal Newspaper (SA), McPherson, Fairfax newspapers and Rural Press, and contributed to various magazines.
