Indicator: Water supply

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What the results tell us for Tumut

See also:
| Raw water treatment | Drinking water quality | Water use | Surface water quality |

Reticulated water is supplied to 100% of the urban populations throughout the Shire, whilst rural populations rely solely on other water sources. There is a number of reticulated sources of water, comprising streams, and service reservoirs, which supply the towns and villages (Table 1).

The Tumut River's water is regulated through Blowering Reservoir. No data are currently available on % fullness of any of these water supply dams.

Supply is currently adequate, given that throughout the period 1997–2000, in common with the previous period of record, Council has not imposed any water restrictions.

Table 1. Tumut water supply
Reticulated sources
of water		Capacity of dams ML
(where relevant)		Towns & villages with
reticulated water supply
Tumut River -
3x Service reservoirs		11MLTumut
Jounuma Creek -
2x Service reservoirs
1x Weir
1.8ML
n/a		Talbingo
1x Dam
2x Service reservoirs		120ML
4.5ML		Batlow
Adelong Creek -
2x Service reservoirs		1.5MLAdelong
Nimbo Creek -
2x Service reservoirs		0.09MLBrungle

About the data

Council maintains records of water supplied throughout the Shire.

Description: What does 'water supply' measure?

Which data are collected?
  • reticulated and non-reticulated sources of water in each jurisdiction, as a proportion of urban and non-urban populations
  • the combined %-fullness of water supply dams over time
  • number of days with water restrictions
Why do we report this indicator?

Water supply for human and agricultural consumption can be derived from a number of sources - either reticulated to consumers by water supply authorities, or non-reticulated (i.e. abstracted by individuals). Sources of water to populations include in-stream reservoirs, direct offtakes from flowing streams, utilisation of groundwater reserves and rainfall.

When reticulated, the reliability of this supply is one indicator of the productivity of the system from an anthropogenic perspective. It also indicates the extent to which the Region's water resources are committed, and thus the urgency with which new water supply reservoirs must be constructed.

Additional information about the level of commitment of water supply, and likely quality, can be derived from a knowledge of the proportion of a population (both urban and rural) relying on non-reticulated sources of water in addition to those relying on reticulated sources, as well as the extent of that reliance.