A fire in the Lammerlaw ranges has spread significantly causing damage to 2773 hectares of land around Deep Stream Reservoir and has affected the ability of the DCC to use Dunedin’s primary source of water.

Group Manager Three Waters, Tom Dyer says Dunedin has multiple sources of water, but this one is strategically important to the city as it can supply all suburbs.

Mr Dyer says the DCC is not applying formal restrictions at this time. “However, we are asking the city to preserve water now.

“Deep Stream reservoir has been affected by fire retardant as a result of the firefighting efforts to contain the fire after much of the vegetation on the western edges of the Deep Stream reservoir was burnt. As a safety precaution the DCC is no longer taking water from Deep Stream.”

The second of the DCC’s two water catchment’s in the area, Deep Creek, is still not affected by the fire and can continue to supply the broader city, but as a precaution water is not being taken from this catchment until its safety can be officially cleared. Tomorrow’s forecast is for southerly winds, which could take the fire towards the Deep Creek catchment, so DCC staff will remain on standby tonight and further assess the situation tomorrow.

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