Sydney dam levels plummeting as desalination plant stalls

Warragamba Dam in decline but private plant may not be fully operational for another year

A multimillion dollar desalination plant built to address water shortages in Sydney a decade ago may not be fully operational until next August.

As drought continues to grip New South Wales, Sydney's dam levels are falling at such a rapid rate that the city's only desalination plant could be needed for the first time since 2012.