Records show water consumption increased last week, despite ongoing pleas for residents to limit usage.

Water consumption has steadily increased for the past 10 weeks, including the highest weekly usage in more than a year three weeks ago with about 18 megalitres used a day.

Usage decreased slightly to 17 megalitres a day in the week following the record spike after Mount Isa Mayor McGrady warned of level 4 restrictions.

But water usage spiked again to almost 18 megalitres a day in the week finishing last Saturday.

“If we don’t see a reduction things are going to get very, very serious,” Cr McGrady said.

“We are watching consumption every day, but if it doesn’t start reducing I will have to report it at the next council meeting or call an emergency meeting.

“If consumption doesn’t come down we run the risk of the Mount Isa Water Board being unable to process sufficient water.

“That would run the risk of cutting off water entirely to the city.”

Two weeks ago the Mount Isa City Council refused to adopt recommendations by the Mount Isa Water Board to move to level 4 water restrictions.

“That means a total sprinkler ban and trees and shrubs will likely die,” Cr McGrady said.

“We are appealing to the good will of the residents to reduce their own consumption.”

A local laws team has been scouring the city to catch water abusers.

“More and more people are ringing me on weekends to alert me of watering outside of hours,” the Mayor said.

Recent showers of rain have not made a  difference to crippled lake levels.