Why move to Target 170 at 40% dam levels

Our Drought Exit Strategy is a cautious plan to ensure we never go back to the water wasting ways of the past. Our first relaxation in restrictions provides just an extra 30 litres a day under Target 170, still well below the pre-drought usage figure of 300 litres.

Detailed modelling indicates with combined dam levels at 40%, this small allowance for extra water use is sustainable for the next three years even with worst case inflows. Remember that 40 % was in fact the trigger for the introduction of Level 1 restrictions in 2005.

It is possible dam levels will just reach 40% but then decline if the drought continues. Careful analysis shows we would not need to reconsider tougher restrictions in the short term – but we do need to achieve Target 170, ensure permanent water savings by businesses and bring online additional supplies like desalination and purified recycled water later this year.

South East Queenslanders have shown an incredible commitment to saving water and no one wants to go back to wasting water. While we’ll still need our focus on four minute showers, we can safely use a little extra water to wash cars, clean buildings and equipment and water gardens.

It’s all part of a cautious step back.