XN000022-1981-10-23 — Page 4

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1981

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MR TUCKER SAID THAT THE FIRST PHASE OF WATER RESTRICTIONS HAD ACHIEVED A SAVING OF ABOUT EIGHT PER CENT, BUT THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY.

CONTINUED PUBLIC COOPERATION WAS VITAL IF THE TARGET OF A 20 PER CENT CUT IN CONSUMPTION WAS TO BE ACHIEVED DURING THE SECOND PHASE OF RESTRICTIONS, HE SAID.

ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION HAD A GENUINE NEED TO STORE MUCH WATER BECAUSE THEY WORKED LATE OR STARTED WORK EARLY.

MR TUCKER SAID HE WANTED TO EXPLAIN THE REASONS BEHIND THE DECISION TO IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS, FOLLOWING CONJECTURE IN THE MEDIA ABOUT THE NEED FOR CURBS ON WATER USE.

HE SAID THAT TWO PERIODS WERE IMPORTANT IN DETERMINING THE LEVEL OF WATER SUPPLY TO BE MAINTAINED IN THE MEDIUM TERM. THESE WERE THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT WET SEASON - SO STORAGE WOULD BE ADEQUATE TO MEET THE POSSIBILITY OF THE LATE ARRIVAL OF RAIN -

- AND THE END OF NEXT WET SEASON, SO THAT STORAGE WOULD BE ADEQUATE FOR THE FOLLOWING DRY MONTHS.

BY EXAMINING TOTAL RESOURCES AND ASSUMING A GROWTH OF DEMAND OF SIX PER CENT OVER THE NEXT YEAR, IT WAS POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE HOW THE DESIRED RESULT COULD BE ACHIEVED.

+THE LEVEL OF SUPPLY WHICH GAYE AN ACCEPTABLE DEGREE OF ASSURANCE THAT IT COULD BE ACHIEVED WAS A 10-HOUR DAILY SUPPLY, HE SAID.

THE RISK OF MAINTAINING A HIGHER LEVEL OF SUPPLY THROUGH THE COMING DRY SEASON IN THE HOPE OF ADEQUATE RAIN NEXT YEAR WAS TOO HIGH AND IF SUCH LEVEL WERE MAINTAINED THERE WAS A RISK THAT THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT HAVE TO IMPOSE EVEN MORE SEVERE RESTRICTIONS NEXT SUMMER, HE SAID.

IF RAINFALL NEXT YEAR WAS BETTER THAN THAT IN 1981, IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO STOP USING THE DESALTING PLANT EARLIER OR TO MAINTAIN A BETTER LEVEL OF SUPPLY, OR BOTH.

OR BOTH. IT WOULD ALSO ENABLE RESERVOIR STOCKS TO BE REPLENISHED FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

MR TUCKER RENEWED HIS APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC TO EXERCISE THE UTMOST CARE IN USING WATER DURING THE RESTRICTIONS, AND SAID THAT CONSUMERS SHOULD REPORT ANY ILLEGAL USE OR WASTAGE TO THE WATER AUTHORITY.

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