Stage 3 now in place

Private gardens and lawns Commercial nurseries, market gardens and turf-growing businesses

Plants: A hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, a bucket or a watering can may be used to water plants between 7am and 10am and between 7pm and 10pm on alternate days as per the ‘odds and evens’ system.

Drippers: As an alternative to hand-held hoses, buckets or watering cans, drippers may be used for watering plants between 7am and 10am and between 7pm and 10pm on alternate days as per the ‘odds and evens’ system. Watering of lawns by drippers is not permitted under this
general exemption*.

Sprinklers: No sprinkler or other irrigation systems may be used (drippers exempt as per above).

Lawns: Watering of lawns is not permitted.

At all times gardens may only be watered without causing pooling or runoff.

Landscape Contractors
By means of a general exemption* businesses contracted to install new plants (not new lawns) may water outside allowed watering hours provided that:

• Watering occurs within ONE hour after planting each plant;
• Watering is done by hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, a bucket or watering-can; and
• No more water is used than is reasonably required for initial establishment of the plant.

Lawns and plants at parks, sports amenities, golf courses and public gardens

A target of a 35% reduction in water use should be met.

At all times lawns and plants may only be watered without causing pooling or runoff.

Paved areas

Private ponds and
fountains

Fountains must be switched off.

Only ponds that support fish may be topped up, and then only using a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, a bucket or a watering can.

Public ponds and
fountains

No fountains may be operated or filled or topped up.

Existing ponds must not be filled or topped up. New ponds may not be filled.

Private swimming pools

Pools must not be emptied or filled without
written exemption.

A general exemption* exists for the topping up of existing private pools (residential) with certain conditions, but you must register your pool.

Public swimming pools

Water storage tanks,
dams and lakes

Must not be filled or topped up.

Vehicles

No washing of any vehicle except at a commercial car wash that recycles water and holds an exemption allowing use of potable water. Boat motors may be flushed or rinsed after use.

A general exemption* exists for using water to wash a vehicle’s windows, mirrors or lights, and for spot removal of corrosive substances, and then only with a bucket or watering can filled directly from a tap (not by means of a hose).

Under a general exemption* motorcycles can be cleaned ONCE per month, and then only with a bucket or watering can filled directly from a tap (not by means of a hose).

Windows and
buildings

Construction and
related activities