FARMERS in the Hepburn shire are doing it tough following one of the driest summers on record with seriously depleted water tables.
While early May produced good rainfall, Hepburn shire only received 60 per cent of its average rainfall, leading to low inflows into catchments.
Central Highlands Water has announced it will invest $1.5 million to upgrade Hepburn and Bullarto Reservoirs with eight water flow metres to provide early detection of burst water mains. It will also upgrade pumps and infrastructure, investigate additional groundwater resources, and renew the low-level tank in Hill Street. CHW has also asked residents to be mindful of water use.
Yandoit dairy farmer Robert Morrison said the drought meant he hadn’t been able to access enough bore water for lucerne growth to feed his 160-head of cattle.
