With water restrictions on the horizon, Tweed Shire Council is urging everyone to sign up for Water Night and join the night's online activities to find out why saving water now is vital.
Mayor of Tweed Shire Chris Cherry said people taking part in the national event on Thursday 19 October would be asked to turn off their taps from 5 pm to 10 pm and spend a night without running water.
"Most of us use water more often than we think. Like nothing else, Water Night highlights how much we rely on this precious resource," Cr Cherry said.
"I encourage all Tweed residents to sign up today and on 19 October, turn off their taps for 5 hours. I've no doubt many people will be surprised with how often they will reach for their taps without realising it.
"On the night, there will be online activities on social media, including live chats with the likes of Gardening Australia's Costa Georgiadis, who is one of the nation's biggest ambassadors of the need for all of us to save water."
Go to waternight.com.au to sign up and gain details on the night's activities.
Cr Cherry said without significant rain, the Tweed may head into water restrictions, making Water Night even more relevant than before.
"I urge everyone in the Tweed to sign up for the night and from today, please save water now. Together we can make our limited supply last as long as possible," Cr Cherry said.
"If we all make a conscious effort to use just 160 litres of water a day per person, we can delay water restrictions.
"We're not far off – last week we each used about 177 litres a day. Cutting your daily shower time by just 2 minutes will save that precious 17 litres!"
On Friday 29 September 2023, Council began releasing water from Clarrie Hall Dam to supply the Bray Park Weir pool on the Tweed River.
The drier El Nino weather has caused river flows in the Tweed River and Oxley River, the sources of the Tweed's water supply, to drop. Despite the rain over the past week, the dam's capacity has dropped by 1% to 97% during this time.
When the level reaches 85%, Council will introduce Level 1 water restrictions in the Tweed water supply area.
"Tyalgum has its own water supply with its own constraints so Level 2 restrictions are just weeks away there, depending on rainfall levels," Cr Cherry said.
Water carting from Uki and Tyalgum is always banned.
When water restrictions are in force, water carting from elsewhere in the Tweed to other local government areas is also banned.
Council is currently completing planning works for the proposed raising of Clarrie Hall Dam to increase the volume of water that can be stored, securing the Tweed's water supply in the face of climate change and population growth.
Go to tweed.nsw.gov.au/water-savings-restrictions for tips on saving water.
