Melbourne’s desalination plant has been switched on. Let it be a wake-up call.

World Water Day was on March 22. Did you have a shorter shower on that day? I didn’t even think about it! Among Melburnians, the recognition that we have significant local water security issues seems to be low.

Melbourne’s water supply has fallen to 54% which is the lowest level since the millennium drought of 1996–2010. In response – a few days before World Water Day – the Victorian government ordered 125 gigalitres of water from the Wonthaggi desalination plant. The financial cost of desalination is significant and will be passed on to Victorian households and businesses.

This piece from Melbourne University argues that it would be far riskier and more expensive in the long run if the government delayed the use of the desalination plant. That may be so, but I want to know why Melburnians aren’t connecting the dots between the drought and their everyday household use of water. We picked up some good water-saving habits during the millennium drought, and it’s time to re-activate them.

• Priscilla Hough- Davies