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Waterworld
Nov. 15th, 2006 12:56 pmYesterday's weather, as predicted by the local paper: "Partly cloudy with a few showers becoming more frequent during the day. Southwesterly wind tending westerly and moderating then shifting southwesterly and strengthening during the day. Min 3, max 14."
Today's weather, as predicted by the local paper: "Showers. Local hail. Windy. Min 2, max 13."
Does that seem like two extremely different ways of saying exactly the same thing? Not that they need to do weather forecasts on Tuesdays at all; they should just ask me instead. That's bin night on my street, and we get a gale force wind warning every week, without fail. At least we have large, plastic bins now; the smaller, tin ones used to roll down the hill once they were emptied, waking every house the street as they clanked past.
There's a drought in much of Australia right now. Some of Victoria's major cities - Bendigo and Ballarat, for example - are in danger of running out of water altogether. Even here in the green corner that is south-west Victoria the drought is starting to bite farmers and other people who rely on rainwater. We in the City by the Sea have been put on basic water restrictions for the first time ever (meaning, essentially, no washing cars with a hose) and have been subjected to so many lectures about the importance of Not Being A Wally With Water. We see the images on the news - the rivers drying up and the cracked earth and the crops that aren't growing - and think, yes, that's us. I've been feeling particularly smug because I'm Doing My Bit; I have two small rainwater tanks (one for drinking, one for the vegetable garden) and have enacted so many water-saving techniques I make very little imposition on the city's water storage.
It was something of a shock then, to read an article comparing water storages around the state. Bendigo really is in trouble: its water storage is only 18% full (enough for three months), compared to 37% this time last year. Ballarat is no better; it's water storage is only 19% full, compared to 40% last year. Melbourne's storage is at 42%, down from 60% last year. And the City by the Sea? Ninety-three percent full, compared to, oh, 93% this time last year. And filling up further by the minute; as I'm typing, rain is bucketing down. One little green city surrounded by parched earth.
Today's weather, as predicted by the local paper: "Showers. Local hail. Windy. Min 2, max 13."
Does that seem like two extremely different ways of saying exactly the same thing? Not that they need to do weather forecasts on Tuesdays at all; they should just ask me instead. That's bin night on my street, and we get a gale force wind warning every week, without fail. At least we have large, plastic bins now; the smaller, tin ones used to roll down the hill once they were emptied, waking every house the street as they clanked past.
There's a drought in much of Australia right now. Some of Victoria's major cities - Bendigo and Ballarat, for example - are in danger of running out of water altogether. Even here in the green corner that is south-west Victoria the drought is starting to bite farmers and other people who rely on rainwater. We in the City by the Sea have been put on basic water restrictions for the first time ever (meaning, essentially, no washing cars with a hose) and have been subjected to so many lectures about the importance of Not Being A Wally With Water. We see the images on the news - the rivers drying up and the cracked earth and the crops that aren't growing - and think, yes, that's us. I've been feeling particularly smug because I'm Doing My Bit; I have two small rainwater tanks (one for drinking, one for the vegetable garden) and have enacted so many water-saving techniques I make very little imposition on the city's water storage.
It was something of a shock then, to read an article comparing water storages around the state. Bendigo really is in trouble: its water storage is only 18% full (enough for three months), compared to 37% this time last year. Ballarat is no better; it's water storage is only 19% full, compared to 40% last year. Melbourne's storage is at 42%, down from 60% last year. And the City by the Sea? Ninety-three percent full, compared to, oh, 93% this time last year. And filling up further by the minute; as I'm typing, rain is bucketing down. One little green city surrounded by parched earth.
