Full tanks for summer, but every drop counts: Hunter Water completes major reservoir upgrades

Just in time for summer, Hunter Water has completed renewal works at its reservoirs at The Hill, Morisset and Arcadia Vale, and has delivered a new reservoir at Cameron Park, helping to maintain strong water pressure and ensuring reliable supply during peak demand periods.

The extensive upgrades have boosted reservoir performance, enabling them to service at full capacity and continue delivering safe, high-quality drinking water to homes and businesses, while meeting the needs of our growing communities. 

The works are part of Hunter Water’s broader investment in maintaining and renewing critical infrastructure across its network of 61 reservoirs, six water treatment plants, 94 pumping stations and more than 5,000 kilometres of pipelines. 

Hunter Water’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Jennifer Hayes, said the completion of these projects highlights the organisation’s commitment to delivering a resilient and sustainable water supply for the community. 

“These reservoir upgrades are a great milestone to reach as we welcome the first day of summer,” Ms Hayes said.

Hunter Water’s overall storages sit at 81.7%, but our levels drop faster than most other major Australian urban centres during dry periods due to shallow storages and high evaporation rates.

The Bureau of Meteorology is also predicting a hotter-than-usual summer for NSW, with warm days and nights and below-average rainfall, another timely reminder to be mindful of how we use water.  

While our storages are in good shape for now, Hunter Water continues to encourage the community to save water in any weather, reminding residents that even small, everyday actions can have a big impact on the region’s water supply.  

Taking a 4-minute shower, watering the garden early in the morning or late in the evening, and checking for leaks around your property can make a big difference.    

“As we turn the calendar over to December, it’s the perfect time to build good habits so that we ensure we are conserving our most precious resource” Ms Hayes said. 

“Using water efficiently helps protect precious supplies. If everyone across the Lower Hunter showered for one-minute less, we would save around 6 million litres of water per day.”

“Let's kick off summer and love water together,” Ms Hayes said