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Continued runoff in the catchments has enabled Southern Rural Water to announce that surface water allocations are now up to 100% of high reliability water shares for Werribee and Bacchus Marsh irrigators. Minister for Water, Peter Walsh has also partially lifted the 5 year ban on the use of groundwater at Werribee, due to improved groundwater and salinity levels. Groundwater licence holders in the Werrribee district can now use up to 25 per cent of their allocation. . Pykes Creek and Melton Reservoirs are currently 100% full, and Merrimu is at 93%. At the same time last year, Pykes Creek was 8%, Melton, 14% and Merrimu 10%. Last year, irrigators in Werribee and Bacchus Marsh Irrigation Districts only received 14% of high reliability water shares as their total allocation for the season. Sources: Southern Rural Water, 25 Jan 2011 |
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