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Perth on track for driest July on record

The city has received just 30 millimetres this month. - ABC

Perth is on track to record its driest July since records began more than 100 years ago.

The city has received just 30 millimetres of rain this month, well below the 170 millimetre average.

The Water Corporation says both desalination plants have been running at full capacity to make up the shortfall.

The corporation's Ben Jarvis says the utility can no longer rely on rain to top up water supplies.

"Unfortunately, so far this year we've only had 5 billion litres of inflow," he said.

"We used to, prior to the mid-1970s, average about 400 billion litres a year.

"5 billion litres is only enough to supply 5 summer days and then it's gone."

Perth's two desalination plants have been working at full capacity this winter to make up for the shortfall in rain.

Mr Jarvis says the utility is relying increasingly on desalination to supply the bulk of Perth's water.

"We've had the first and the second desalination plants running essentially at full steam since they've come online," he said.

"We've shown that that decision was the correct one for our circumstances so we've been very reliant on desalination."


- ABC

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