By Alesha Capone
MELBOURNE Water is testing two rainfall monitoring stations in Hoppers Crossing and Werribee, which have been repaired after they were vandalised and stolen earlier this year.
Spokesman for the water authority, Nicholas McGay, said the monitoring stations, located at Skeleton Creek and the Cottrell St Ford, were stolen during April.
The stations collect rainfall and river level data to help Melbourne Water with its role in managing flooding and drainage for the metropolitan area.
The authority has 220 monitoring stations across Melbourne.
“Unfortunately they are sometimes the target of vandals, from graffiti through to the entire monitoring station being stolen,” Mr McGay said.
“In April this year, vandals broke the casing on two stations in Wyndham and stole the contents.
“The stations are of no value when not connected to our telemetry system.
“We have an audience of keen rain watchers and this means visitors to our website miss out on data and a true picture of rainfall in their area.”
Mr McGay said the two Wyndham stations were repaired this month and were “being tested to ensure they’re operating correctly before we publish rainfall and river level data on the (Melbourne Water) website”.
