With south-east Queenslanders using an extra 10 litres per person per day this past summer, dam manager Seqwater warns that the region is one wet season away from water restrictions being considered.
South-east Queensland has had two very dry summers and its 12 dams were at their lowest point since 2010, Seqwater acting chief executive officer Jim Pruss said.
"Based on current modelling and consumption rates, south-east Queensland is another wet season away from having to consider water restrictions," he said.
"This means we have time to better prepare the community for possibility of drought, including encouraging the community to reduce their water use while the dry conditions continue."
Mr Pruss said the dry hot summer had also resulted in an increase in water consumption.
"We have seen consumption increase on average by 10 litres per person per day compared to last summer, to an average of 188 litres per person per day," he said.
"In some parts of the region daily consumption has climbed over 300 litres per person per day.
"While SEQ is not yet in a drinking water supply drought, our grid dam levels have been falling, so it is a good time for all of us to start looking at ways we can better conserve water."
Water restrictions enforced in the mid 2000s included no hosing of gardens, "four-minute showers", washing one less load per week, and turning off the tap while shaving.
Restrictions were lifted in January 2013, having been introduced in July 2005 as dam supplies dwindled.
At one stage in August 2007 south-east Queensland's dams reached just 14 per cent capacity.
Although steady rain has been falling in south-east Queensland and a cyclone may be forming off north Queensland, dams in teh state's south-east are at their lowest point in six years.
SEQ's 12 dams are at an average of 71.8 per cent full, the lowest since January 2010.
South-east Queensland's dams include Wivenhoe, Somerset, North Pine, Hinze, Baroon Pocket, Leslie Harrison, Ewen Maddock, Cooloolabin, Lake Kurwongbah, Lake Macdonald, Little Nerang and Wappa.
They are all managed by Seqwater, which has triggered a new drought policy for south-east Queensland, required when dams get to 70 per cent capacity.
Mr Pruss on Friday released the updated SEQ Drought Response Plan.
"We live in a climate of extremes from droughts to flooding rains and we need to plan accordingly to meet our water supply requirements in good times and bad," Mr Pruss said.
He said Queensland's water grid – a connection of water pipelines, desalination plants and dams built in south-east Queensland in the mid 2000s – had made it easier to share water supplies.
"The connected water treatment plants and pipelines across the water grid, and the availability of the Gold Coast Desalination Plant and the Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme to respond to drought, means the region has more resources at its disposal to manage drought," Mr Pruss said.
Seqwater has introduced a "drought readiness phase" into its community planning.
Mr Pruss said this would help the SEQ community consider making changes if the drought eventuated and water restrictions were needed.
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