Vic: Bushfires could affect water supplies for 30 years
17 Feb 2009 3:23 PM
The massive bushfires that have scorched Victoria could reduce Melbourne's drinking water supply by 30 per cent for 30 years.
Run-off of ash into important reservoirs will also contaminate water supplies that are currently just under 32 per cent per cent full because of years of drought.
Melbourne Water and fire-fighters are racing against time before it rains to protect the Upper Yarra and Thomson reservoirs .. with bulldozers cutting new control lines.
Melbourne Water managing director ROBERT SKINNER says the longer-term issues of recovering mountain ash trees reducing run-off into reservoirs is a worry.
Mr SKINNER says burning and re-growth take a huge amount of water .. but they don't know the extent of the damage yet because they haven't seen it all.
The most badly burnt catchments are around the Maroondah Reservoir .. 40 per cent damage .. near Healesville .. and the O'Shannassy Reservoir (90 per cent) .. near Warburton.
Mr SKINNER says those reservoirs will be contaminated for at least three months .. taking away 24 per cent of Melbourne's drinking water.
