Fears of Sydney water restrictions as only 25% of Warragamba Dam catchment deemed safe to drink

Sydney Water says filtration systems under extreme pressure amid floods, as all Melbourne beaches declared unsuitable for swimming

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Just a quarter of Sydney's largest drinking water catchment, the Warragamba Dam, is safe for consumption, prompting fears residents will need to conserve water.

Ben Blayney, the head of water supply and production at Sydney Water, said the past year's floods had placed extreme pressure on the city's water filtration system.

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