I thought some of you O/S people might be interested in the drought situation in Australia and specifically Melbourne, where I live. It's pretty severe.

We are presently down to 34.5% of our water-storage capacity and on Stage 3 water restrictions. There is a very good chance that by May we will be down to 29.3%, which will trigger Stage 4 restrictions (unprecedented, I believe).

Stage 4 means:

No watering of residential, public or commercial lawns or gardens.

No watering of sports grounds except for professional clubs.

No washing of vehicles from mains water except for windows, mirrors and lights.

No watering of hard surfaces or paved areas.

No fountains or water features.

No filling of domestic-sized pools.

So, looks like my wife's garden is going to die. We already have no lawn left, and the park where I walk the dogs is looking very yellow-brown.

It's worse in some ways because Melbourne has historically had a climate that encouraged people to plant species of European trees (such as oaks), many of which are now likely to die. Back to the eucalypts!

Or roll on the global warming – maybe it'll produce this.

Strewth...

I'd say you should water secretly at night, but Erinsborough's quite a tightly knit neighbourhood I hear.  Mrs. Mangle would probably report you to the cops and you wouldn't be able to go to Scott and Charlene's wedding at Lassiters!

There's no watering from mains water. You can still water gardens with tank or bore water, and grey water.

Most showers use 10 litres of water per minute, so even if you have the recommended 4 minute showers, with at least two people a day having those, that's 80 litres you could collect from your bath and put on the garden. That will keep alive 80 square metres of garden, or help grow well 20-40, depending on what you've got growing. The few bits of soap in the water are harmless.

It's how I've kept my garden growing. Put the plug in, bucket the stuff out. It's a hassle, but so would be letting a nice garden die...

Quote from: Mr. AnalyticalI'd say you should water secretly at night, but Erinsborough's quite a tightly knit neighbourhood I hear.  Mrs. Mangle would probably report you to the cops and you wouldn't be able to go to Scott and Charlene's wedding at Lassiters!

I think they moved Erinsborough to Sydney in the 80s.

I understand that there are now water cops that go around looking out for water wastage.

Quote from: JimBobOzThere's no watering from mains water. You can still water gardens with tank or bore water, and grey water.

I've noticed more and more people installing systems for reusing their grey water. But even that may seem a bit science-fiction if you're from somewhere like Britain or SE Asia.

When I was a kid in Perth the smell of bore water was the smell of summer. In some areas the pavements and fences are a deep brown colour.

I suppose if you're not local it'll seem strange, yes. But I find that when people are fond enough of their gardens, it's an idea that's quickly accepted.

I wish your wife all the best with her garden. I know for myself, it's something that can give a great deal of pleasure. It's especially nice to sit down to a meal almost entirely from your own produce.

Grey water! It's just a bit soapy, but the plants don't mind. It's absurd that we discard so much water.

Quote from: JimBobOzI suppose if you're not local it'll seem strange, yes.

When I first came here in '99, Melbourne seemed incredibly lush and green compared to Perth. Now, apparently, Perth looks greener, mainly because it has more eucalypts (and probably a greater usage of bore water).

I understand that up to 25% of your water goes down the toilet. Remember, foreigners –

If it's yellow, let it mellow.
When it's brown, flush it down.

On the other hand, only 10% of water usage is domestic.

60% agricultural
25% industrial
5% wastage, leaks and sewage treatment
10% domestic

When farmers stop having open-trench irrigation in the fucking desert called the Malee to grow that monsoonal crop rice, then some water inspector will be justified in bitching at some Greek hosing down his concrete. It's ridiculous. And then of course there are those cocks at Olympic Dam in South Australia, using 12 gigalitres annually to get a few thousand tonnes of uranium which will no doubt some day return to us from China in the form of atomic bombs... stupid, stupid.

Quote from: JimBobOzThere's no watering from mains water. You can still water gardens with tank or bore water, and grey water.

But theres plenty of hot air coming from you JimBabbler!:D

Australia is a country I have nothing against the people of, and in fact I like most Ozzers I've known of. I hope the drought ends soon, and wish most ozzers the best.

BTW, speaking of down unda, years ago I heard that the great barrier reef that was supposedly so vital to australia's ecology was dying, and already lik e90% dead, which was supposed to lead to a cataclysm for australia. Whatever happened with that?

I hope the country is OK, and I'd visit it except the the funnel webs, redbacksa and those fucking blonde tarantulas.....

Quote from: droogOr roll on the global warming – maybe it'll produce this.

Nice site, thanks Droog!
In a thousand years, my house will be prime real estate on a gentle hill overlooking the greater Thames delta! Now all I need to do is work out how to live for a thousand years....