Tarra River Flow Monitoring – Further Information

Saturday, February 9th, 2019

River Flows Fluctuating – periodic extraction of River Water

Tarra River Flows

• The Tarra River Bulk Entitlement requires 3ML per day of passing environmental flows
• Tarra Rivers flows have been fluctuating following cooler weather and rainfall in the catchment, this saw River flows spike on Wednesday 6/2/19 and then river flows drop back down in the following days. As of Saturday 9/2/19 river flows were low and extraction was shut off.
• South Gippsland Water may periodically recharge the main to extract water from the Tarra River. It takes South Gippsland Water at least 24 hours to re-charge the main and bleed air from the drawn down pipeline.
• South Gippsland Water will continue to extract until such time as the river flows drop to low levels again. At that stage extraction may be shut off and similarly re-started without notice
• South Gippsland Water will inform customers via signs placed on the Water Treatment Plant gate and the alerts page of this  website www.sgwater.com.au/alerts.
• Given the time it takes to re-charge the main (>24 hours), South Gippsland Water will take water when flows legally allow, however if this is only a short period of time, it may not charge the full length of the water main/reach all customers.

Water Quality

• As ‘Supply by Agreement’ customers – water supply and quality is not guaranteed. The process of turning on/off supply and recharging the main is likely to result in lower water quality.
• To assist, it is recommended that customers flush pipes before resuming taking water supply
• Customers may notice air pockets in pipes and the water supply coming through.

The townships of Yarram, Devon North, Alberton and Port Albert are supplied via an alternate bore water supply, therefore there will be no impact to township supplies