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Melbourne’s water storages have fallen to 69.7%, the lowest level since July 2020 and on a trajectory similar to the Millennium Drought. This has prompted warnings that water restrictions may return if usage doesn’t drop.
Late January water usage hit 253 litres per person per day, far above the 150‑litre target set by authorities.
In 2024–25, Melbourne used 200 billion litres more than flowed into storages, the steepest decline since the early 2000s drought.
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About the author
Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also a co-founder of MacroBusiness.
Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.