Mildura Rural City Council workers today will begin preparing two Deakin Avenue fountains at Eighth and Seventh streets, with water restrictions easing to Stage 1 on Monday. Fountains, which have been dry since Stage 3 restrictions were enforced in June 2007, will be filled in mid-November after infrastructure and maintenance services assess the pump conditions and perform repairs.

The Ornamental Lakes are also set to be filled by mid-November, after a maintenance assessment to clean the pumps and repair cracks in the concrete.

Mayor Glenn Milne said the more lenient water restrictions would help lift the spirits of people in Mildura.

“I think it is a morale boost to be able to green the place up a little bit,” Cr Milne said.

“It will just be excellent, it makes people breathe a bit easier.

“We’ve really worked hard through the drought and it’ll just bring a bit of relief to see a bit of water.

“It becomes a bit refreshing and I think it freshens the place up a bit and that’ll be welcome. It certainly makes the business centre look a bit better with fountains running.

For more of this story, purchase your copy of Thursday’s Sunraysia Daily 6/11/2009.