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Water restrictions unlikely to ease

Canberra's water supplier ACTEW says stage three restrictions are expected to remain in place until at least the end of the year.

Water supplies have increased 10 per cent from last year to just under 50 per cent.

The increase has come from pumping water from the Murrumbidgee River after below-average rainfall in winter.

ACTEW managing director Mark Sullivan says current restrictions are unlikely to change.

"If we get a reduction in rain like we've seen from last winter well then I think we would firmly be stuck with level three restrictions," he said.

"We will have a look in November and see what spring has brought for us and then we will have to look forward into summer."

- ABC

© ABC 2008

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