Though our drought-ravaged farmers in the bush have been brutalised by a chronic lack of rainfall, it looks like city-dwellers also haven’t escaped the dry patch.

Sydney has also been caught up in its worst drought since 1965, with government projecting just 83 billion litres of water will fall into the city’s catchment dams this year. This pales in comparison to the previous record low of 136 billion litres back in 1944, raising concerns about what lies ahead if the dry spell fails to snap.

“The current storage levels of Sydney’s dams is just under 64% and dropping at 9.7% a week,” says Dr  Ian Wright from Western Sydney University.

“And it’s completely unknown what climate is going to deliver to us in the next weeks and months.”

However it’s not just the uncooperative weather causing the problems. This is compounded with Sydney’s ballooning population and the associated surge in demand, exacerbating the shortage.

“We’ve got more population, our capital cities are all increasing, yet Mother Nature may be giving less precipitation.”

“With increasing population and limited supply, are we investing enough? Are we enhancing our water infrastructure? It’s a good question to ask.”

Wright says part of the problem is Australia’s ‘out of sight, out of mind mentality.’ When drought is unfolding in our immediate vicinity, drought proofing infrastructure and water harvesting policies become a priority. But once the drought breaks, the issue falls off the agenda, leading to reactionary water policy, rather than the preventative, vision-laden policy we need. 

“ When it’s urgent and front of mind, we think about it and government tends to plan and developments schemes. Then the dams fill and it goes quiet.”

“I think we do get a bit lazy and complacent.”

Though our drought-ravaged farmers in the bush have been brutalised by a chronic lack of rainfall, it looks like city-dwellers also haven&rsquo;t escaped the dry patch.
Sydney has also been caught up in its worst drought since 1965, with government projecting just 83 billion litres of water will fall into the city&rsquo;s catchment dams this year. This pales in comparison to the previous record low of 136 billion litres back in 1944, raising concerns about what lies ahead if the dry spell fails to snap.
&ldquo;The current storage levels of Sydney&rsquo;s dams is just under 64% and dropping at 9.7% a week,&rdquo; says Dr&nbsp; Ian Wright from Western Sydney University.
&ldquo;And it&rsquo;s completely unknown what climate is going to deliver to us in the next weeks and months.&rdquo;
However it&rsquo;s not just the uncooperative weather causing the problems. This is compounded with Sydney&rsquo;s ballooning population and the associated surge in demand, exacerbating the shortage.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got more population, our capital cities are all increasing, yet Mother Nature may be giving less precipitation.&rdquo;
&ldquo;With increasing population and limited supply, are we investing enough? Are we enhancing our water infrastructure? It&rsquo;s a good question to ask.&rdquo;
Wright says part of the problem is Australia&rsquo;s &lsquo;out of sight, out of mind mentality.&rsquo; When drought is unfolding in our immediate vicinity, drought proofing infrastructure and water harvesting policies become a priority. But once the drought breaks, the issue falls off the agenda, leading to reactionary water policy, rather than the preventative, vision-laden policy we need.&nbsp;
&ldquo; When it&rsquo;s urgent and front of mind, we think about it and government tends to plan and developments schemes. Then the dams fill and it goes quiet.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I think we do get a bit lazy and complacent.&rdquo;

Australia Overnight with Mike Jeffreys, 12am – 4am weekdays.

Wake Up Australia, 4am - 9:30am weekdays.

Australia Overnight with Mike Jeffreys, 12am – 4am weekdays.
Wake Up Australia, 4am - 9:30am weekdays.

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