IT TOOK 14 years to fill up but the last few days felt the longest. Early last night, after days of rain forced about 1600 people from their homes, Sydney's drinking water reservoir reached capacity and began to spill for the first time since August 1998.

Heavy rain was no deterrent for the crowds gathered with cameras and umbrellas, some of whom had been waiting for five hours to see the Warragamba Dam spectacular.

Going with the flow … Warragamba Dam spills over for the first time in 14 years, providing quite a spectacle for a small crowd of police, water catchment staff and sightseers. Credit:Quentin Jones

The Sydney Catchment Authority had anticipated opening the floodgates on Thursday night, then yesterday morning. About 6.50 last night, the first water began to spill over. Forty minutes later, the main drum gate opened and let loose a torrent, delighting those gathered on the lookout known as 18th Street, several kilometres away.