Water restrictions are currently in place in many regions and cities of Australia in response to chronic shortages resulting from drought. Depending upon the location, these can include restrictions on watering lawns, using sprinkler systems, washing vehicles, hosing in paved areas and refilling swimming pools, among others. Increasing population and evidence of drying climates, coupled with corresponding reductions in the supply of drinking water, have led various state governments to consider alternative water sources to supplement existing sources, and to implement "water inspectors" who can issue penalties to those who waste water.
As of July 2007 some areas and towns have no water restrictions, including the Northern Territory, Regional Tasmania, Newcastle, Bathurst and Dubbo. There are also a few parts of Australia where the water storage levels are at or close to 100%, such as Taree.
Many states describe the different levels of water restrictions in terms of "stages": starting at Stage 1, for the least restrictive, going up as far as Stage 8. The highest level reached in the current drought has been stage 7 for Kingaroy. There are different definitions given to each "stage" in different States.
Water restrictions by State or Territory
Australian Capital Territory
There are presently four stages of temporary water restrictions which can be imposed by ACTEW Corporation:
Canberra was subject to Stage 1 restrictions from 1 November 2005, which were increased to Stage 2 after a year on 1 November 2006. The continuing drought led to a further increase to Stage 3 from 16 December 2006; the restrictions were maintained at Stage 3 throughout 2007 and 2008.
New South Wales
The different classification levels of water restrictions in New South Wales vary widely, and are set by the different authorities responsible for water throughout the state.
Sydney
The following Levels have been used by Sydney Water to describe the different stages of water restrictions it has imposed:
Falling dam levels prompted Sydney Water to impose Level 1 water restrictions on the Sydney area from 1 October 2003.
When these restrictions failed to stem the reduction in the city's water supplies as a result of continuing drought, and with dam levels dropping below 50 per cent, Level 2 water restrictions were introduced from 1 June 2004. Further reductions in dam levels to below 40 per cent of capacity led to an increase to Level 3 water restrictions from 1 June 2005. Level 3 water restrictions were in place as of February 2008. Since June 2009, though, Sydney Water replaced water restrictions with Water Wise Rules. The Rules are:
- All hoses must now have a trigger nozzle.
- Hand held hoses, sprinklers and watering systems may be used only before 10 am and after 4 pm on any day - to avoid the heat of the day
- No hosing of hard surfaces such as paths and driveways. Washing vehicles is allowed.
- Fire hoses may be used for fire fighting activities only.
These represent simple, common sense and sustainable actions everyone should employ to save water.
To deal with its water shortage, New South Wales has followed the same path as Western Australia, announcing a new desalination plant for Sydney to cost $1.3 billion .
Regional NSW
As different towns in regional New South Wales take their drinking water from different sources, different levels of water restrictions apply. The levels or stages which apply in certain towns are as follows:
- Bathurst - no restrictions
- Cobar- stage 5
- Dubbo - no restrictions
- Gosford - stage 4 from 1 October 2006
- Goulburn had Stage 5 water restrictions imposed from 1 October 2004, and went on to win a National Water Conservation Award for Excellence due to the water which had been conserved.. From 5 July 2007, Golburn relaxed its water restrictions to Level 3.
- Griffith - stage 2 introduced on 27 November 2007
- Leeton - level 3 introduced on 9 October 2007 but lowered to level 2 on 1 November 2008
- Orange - level 5 from 1 May 2008
- Port Macquarie - stage 1 from September 2006
- Taree - summer water saving restrictions
- Wagga Wagga - level 1 introduced on 10 December 2007 and raised to level 4 on 3 July 2009.
Northern Territory
Currently, no water restrictions apply in Darwin.
Queensland
Some of the details of the different stages of water restrictions which apply in Queensland for the residential sector are as follows:
Although some regions of Queensland have had traditionally high rainfalls, some regions of Queensland have been subject to the toughest water restrictions in place in Australia. The highest level of water restrictions reached in the current drought has been stage 7 for Kingaroy. Toowoomba, Brisbane and South East Queensland are currently at Level 6 restrictions.
On 13 May 2005, 13 local councils in southeast Queensland, including those in Brisbane, agreed to impose Stage 1 water restrictions, due to drying dams. These restrictions were increased to Stage 2 from 3 October 2005, which at the time were described as the "toughest water restrictions in southeast Queensland's history", except the Gold Coast which had been on Stage 5 restrictions since 2004. Stage 3 water restrictions were imposed on the region from 13 June 2006 amid projections that water storage levels would drop to 5% within 26 months. Water restrictions continued to increase, to Stage 4 from 1 November 2006, stage 5 from 10 April 2007, and up to Stage 6 from 23 November 2007.
The Queensland Water Commission has relaxed water restrictions, with the introduction of High Level Water restrictions as of 31 July 2008.
Other towns and regions of Queensland are subject to different levels of water restrictions, as set out below:
- Cairns - permanent restrictions
- Gold Coast - stage 6 from 23 November 2007, stage 5 from 10 April 2007, stage 4 from 1 November 2006. The Hinze Dam, which is the Gold Coast's main water supply reached 100% in January 2008 and the coast now has no water restrictions.
- Kingaroy - Stage 7 from 1 October 2007
- Toowoomba - stage 6 from 23 November 2007, stage 5 from 26 September 2006. In 2006, the town council proposed the use of recycled wastewater to supplement town water from dams, however the scheme was rejected by the town's population and the town has since resorted to drilling artesian and sub-artesian bores as an alternative source of drinking water.
- Townsville - stage 2 from 15 November 2006, stage 1 from 12 February 2007
Source: Queensland Water Restrictions, Queensland Water Commission
South Australia
The different levels of residential water restrictions which have been applied to different regions of South Australia by SA Water are as follows:
Different water restrictions levels apply to different parts of the state, depending upon the source of drinking water used in that region. SA Water have produced a map showing the current areas of water restrictions.
Areas using Murray River water
Adelaide and much of south-eastern South Australia takes its drinking water from the Murray River. Permanent water conservation measures were put into place in this region in 2003, and as a result of the most severe drought to hit the region since the 1940s, Level 2 water restrictions were imposed from 22 October 2006 on those areas (including metropolitan Adelaide) which use water from the Murray River. Even lower inflows to the Murray River over the course of 2006 led to the even tougher Level 3 water restrictions being imposed on the region from 1 January 2007, which remain in place.
Other areas
The Eyre Peninsula draws most of its drinking water from underground basins, which progressively became depleted through drought and high consumption, prompting the State Government to introduce water restrictions on the entire region from 6 December 2002, apart from Whyalla. The water restrictions for the peninsula remain in force as of 2008.
Conversely, the areas in the south east of the State, south of the town of Keith, are subject to the permanent water conservation measures.
Other areas in the state are not subject to water restrictions. These areas include Murray Mallee, areas north of Port Augusta, Kangaroo Island, Cockburn, Hawker, Melrose, Ororoo, Parachilna, Quorn, Warooka, Wilmington, Terowie, Yunta, Olary and Manna Hill.
Tasmania
No water restrictions for domestic consumption.
Victoria
The different stages of water restrictions which apply in different areas of Victoria are based upon the Victorian Uniform Drought Water Restriction Guidelines, however they have been modified by the inclusion of a "Stage 3a", to reduce the likelihood of needing to impose Stage 4 restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne.
The status of water restrictions in different regions of Victoria is as set out below:
- Bairnsdale - now off water restrictions and on permane
Watering Home Lawns | Horticulture and Home Pest News
Horticulture & Home Pest News is filled with articles on current horticulture, plant care, pest management, and common household pests written by Iowa State University Extension ...
Watering, Mowing & Fertilizing - Watering Lawns the ...
Proper watering, mowing, and fertilizing help keep lawns looking healthy.
Watering - Lawn & Garden - Ace Hardware
Shop Watering at acehardware.com and receive free shipping to your local Ace, the Helpful Place.
Watering the Lawn_How to water the lawn_lawn irrigation
Watering the lawn_Tips for watering the lawn_Lawn Irrigation
Watering Your Lawn
Watering Your Lawn Guide H-110 Lynn Ellen Doxon, Extension Horticulture Specialist College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences New Mexico State University
Lawn Care, Garden Care & Watering, Garden
Lawn Feed, Weed & Moss Control, Lawn Seed, Lawn Spreaders
Lawn Thatch | Growing Grass | Watering Lawns
Growing grass successfully requires attention to watering lawns and removal of lawn thatch (dethatching). Watering lawns and removing lawn thatch are related, since dethatching ...
Watering the Lawn
Clemson University's Horticulture Department ... Watering the Lawn As the spring dry spell tightens its grip on our lawns and landscapes, gardeners are faced with that ...
Watering Lawns
Cool season lawn grasses go dormant during hot dry summer weather. During the dormant period the grass is brown and will not recover from injury or compete with
ScholarSpace at University of Hawaii at Manoa: Watering ...
Watering Lawns: Author(s): Hensley, David Deputy, James Tavares, James: Keywords: turf management soil pH nitrogen fertilizers compound fertilizers slow-release fertilizers