Seqwater Chief Executive Officer, Neil Brennan, said the recent rainfall, which saw Gold Coast dams reach capacity, had allowed production at the desalination plant to be reduced and water taken from Hinze Dam increased.

However, the desalination plant was continuing to play a vital role in taking the pressure off South East Queensland’s largest dam.

“Seqwater has been able to reduce production at the Gold Coast Desalination Plant to about two thirds capacity, or about 70 million litres per day, while increasing the use of water from Hinze Dam which is at capacity and spilling,’’ Mr Brennan said.

“The Water Grid is still moving water from the Gold Coast to Brisbane to help preserve storage levels in Wivenhoe Dam.

“While Wivenhoe Dam received its best inflows in almost 15 years with the recent rainfall, at just over 51% capacity, it remains at its lowest levels since the Millennium Drought broke in early 2009.

Mr Brennan said while the February rainfall had added more than 10 per cent of extra supply to the Water Grid, dam levels were lower compared to the same time last year.

“This time last year our Grid dam levels were about 72% capacity, today we are just above 67% capacity,’’ Mr Brennan said.

“We need South East Queenslanders to continue to look at simple and common-sense ways to reduce their water use as we head towards the traditional drier months of autumn and winter.’’

Average water use across SEQ for February was 158 litres per person per day, or 42 litres a day lower than the average for the same time last year, and down from the 211 litres a day at the start of summer.

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting lower than average rainfall over March to May for SEQ and a return to hotter and drier than average temperatures.

Seqwater has also reserved the flow of the Water Grid to move water south from the Sunshine Coast into Brisbane, with the Sunshine Coast’s largest dam, Baroon Pocket, close to capacity.

For simple indoor and outdoor ideas to save water and hit the 150 litres per person per day target visit www.seqwater.com.au/water-wise