The pipeline connects Goulburn to the Wingecaribee Reservoir and is a great reassurance for residents that the city will never reach the catastrophic water levels of a decade ago, when the city’s total storage dropped to only 12pc. 

Goulburn Mulwaree utilities director Marina Hollands said the current storages are: Pejar Dam 74.2pc, Sooley Dam 56pc and Rossi Weir 83.5pc. 

Mrs Hollands said the trigger for the Highland Source Pipeline to kick in and supply us water was 55pc.

While Wingecaribee Reservoir currently has 63pc storage, she said Goulburn Mulwaree had an agreement in place with WaterNSW for the ongoing supply of water from this source as required. 

“While it is difficult to know when we will reach 55pc, Water NSW understand our Operations Plan and the council has approval to pump water as required,” she said. 

“This is where we supplement raw water from Wingecaribee Reservoir for treatment at the Water Treatment Plant during the current operating hours of the treatment plant.

She said the Wingecaribee Reservoir is supplemented with natural rainfall and transfers within the Shoalhaven network of Water NSW.

“Wingecaribee Reservoir is located near Robertson and that experiences higher rainfall than Goulburn,” she said. 

“It is part of the larger Shoalhaven catchment.  It is understood that this supply should be able to supply Goulburn as required when Goulburn experiences drought conditions.”

Mrs Hollands said overall, our water storages are faring well given the limited natural flow that has been experienced down the Wollondilly River this year. 

“We have relied on water releases from our dams last summer and more this year than normally expected.  This has had an impact on our dam levels,” she said.