Goulburn Mulwaree councillors 'flicked the switch' yesterday on the pump station, sending Wollondilly River water 9km along a 250mm pipeline to treatment ponds at Sooley Dam.

Mayor Paul Stephenson said despite the lengthy negotiations with government departments about the pipeline's management regime, the commissioning was timely.

"To have the three projects (Sooley Dam upgrade, pipeline and bores) completed at the same time gives us quite a bit of certainty coming into summer," he said.

Together with two megalitres emerging from the Kingsdale bores each day, the emergency measures are more than meeting Goulburn's five megalitre daily usage under level five restrictions.

However conditions such as rainfall and catchment health will govern how much the council can take out of Copford Reach each day. Water services manager Greg Finlayson said even 5mm of rain last Friday halted trial pumping.

For the full story, please see Friday's Goulburn Post, available from our front office in Auburn St, or at all leading newsagencies across the Goulburn area.