Stage 1 Water Restrictions

Lawns may now be watered at the same time as gardens.

Hand watering You can now water residential and commercial gardens and lawns at any time, on any day using a hand held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle.

Watering systems You can water gardens and lawns using a watering system (manual, automatic, spray or dripper) only on alternate days* between 6am - 10am and 6pm - 10pm.

*Alternate days means odd numbered houses can water on odd dates of the month and even numbered houses can water on even numbered days. For example if you live at 45 Park Street, you can only use your watering system on the 1st, 3rd, 5th etc…of the month. Both odd and even numbered houses can water on the 31st of the month. Where there is no house number the property is considered an even numbered house.

Before filling a new or existing pool or spa of 2000 litres capacity or more, owners must submit a water conservation plan and have it approved by their local water business.

An existing pool or spa of any size can be topped up using an automatic top up device or a hand held hose fitted witha  trigger nozzle, bcket or watering can.

A mobile spa can only be filled or topped up in accordance with a Water Use Plan.

This plan must show that the volume of water required to fill the pool or spa will be, or has been, offset by water saved around the home. Only a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, a bucket or a watering can may be used to top up an existing pool or spa. To fill or top up a new or existing pool or spa with a capacity of 2,000 litres or less, a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, a watering can or a bucket must be used.

A water toy connected to a hose cannot be used at any time.

You can wash your car, boat or other vehicle at home using a high pressure cleaning unit, a hand held hose fittedwith a trigger nozzle or a bucket or watering can, at any time, any day of the week.

Melbourne's three retail water utilities have the ability to grant exemptions to water restrictions in special circumstances. For information regarding the circumstances under which an exemption may be granted, plesae refer to the Drought Response Plan which is available from City West Water, South East Water, or City West Water.

An application for an exemption can be made by contacting your water utility.

You may obtain an exemption ot use watering systems to water new warm season grass lawns as required to suit weather conditions for up to the first 28 days after installation.

• Warm Season Grass laws
  Visit www.warmseasongrass.com.au for more information and to apply