Water saving a priority as Cairns heats up

• Reports of discoloured water and low pressure more common in mornings and evenings when water use peaks
• Cairns residents are doing their part to keep water use lower than last year
• Public sprinklers remain switched off across 70 per cent of the network reducing daily use

Cairns Regional Council has recognised the community for their commitment to water conservation, reporting that water use is lower than the same period last year. As temperatures continue to rise, residents are urged to keep up their water-saving habits.

During recent hot weather, there have been more intense peaks in water use, particularly during morning and evening periods. This has resulted in more instances of low pressure, pipe breaks and discoloured water.

Council CEO Ken Gouldthorp thanked the community for being water wise and reinforced how important it was to watch every drop.

“We’ve come through weeks of hot weather and consumed less water than last year, which proves our community’s actions are paying off,” he said.

“With the warmer weather we are experiencing some peaks in demand, particularly in the morning and the evening. When everyone is using water at the same time, it can lower pressure in the pipes, which can lead to more breaks or discoloured water.

“Water conservation measures remain in place specifying days where households can use sprinklers. With more rain predicted over the coming months, households may not need to water at all.

“Further to that, residents can support our network by being conscious of all water use including washing clothes and filling pools outside of the peak early morning and evening periods.”

Council is continuing maintenance work on reservoirs to meet storage needs and has paused public sprinklers across 70 per cent of its network.

“While the dam level remains high, we need to remain mindful of our consumption to ensure our treated water supply meets community demand. This is especially important while we complete maintenance work on three reservoirs,” said Mr Gouldthorp.

“Council has accepted a few brown patches of grass in public spaces while we pause our irrigation systems across the majority of the network. It’s a practical measure we’ve taken to reduce water consumption alongside our community.”

Residents can track weekly water use trends and find answers to common questions on Council’s Cairns Water Supply update page: Cairns Water Supply | Have Your Say Cairns