MOST towns across Victoria have increased their household water consumption in the past year, despite pleas from the government for people to slash their use.

Figures released by the Victorian Government today reveal only five areas out of 25 cut average water consumption in 2008-09 when compared with the previous year.

Kilmore had the largest rise, with average daily water use per person climbing by more than 27 per cent in 2008-09.

But the average daily water consumption per person in the town is low, at 178 litres, when compared with consumption in other areas of the state.

Average water use was down by more than one quarter in Daylesford to 171 litres per person per day, 6.77 per cent in Maryborough to 164 litres, 6.24 per cent in Melton to 167 litres and 2.21 per cent in Sunbury/Macedon to 151 litres.

Melburnians slashed consumption by 4.44 per cent to 159 litres. The city has been on stage 3a restrictions since March 2007.

Average daily water use in Mildura on the Victoria-NSW border grew by more than one quarter to 436 litres per person. The town has been on stage 3 restrictions since January last year.

In Ararat, north-west of Melbourne, water use grew by 21.48 per cent to 210 litres, despite the town being on stage 4 restrictions with exemptions since February this year.

Water Minister Tim Holding said while the September rains were welcome, nobody should be under the misapprehension that the drought is over.

"We don't want people to take their foot off the peddle over the next month or so and start using water as though it's plentiful," he said.

"Our storages are still at record lows (33.9 per cent) for this time of the year."

The water consumption figures were calculated by using the reported permanent population of the relevant water district and the annual residential water consumption for that district as reported by the Water Corporation responsible.