ORANGE City Council has reaffirmed stage two water restrictions remain in place as confusion reigns over what residents are able to do with water and when.
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Council spokesman Allan Reeder said in the middle of a hot summer it was important to remain vigilant with this precious resource.
“With level two water restrictions in place in Orange, gardens and lawns can be watered between 6am and 9am and 6pm and 9pm every second day, under the odds and evens system,” he said.
“If you’re washing a car at home, please park it on the lawn, wash it with a bucket and then rinse it off with a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle.”
Mr Reeder says watering of new turf is allowed for a week after it is laid, new water features may be filled, and filling of new pools is allowed any day between 7am and 9am and 6pm and 9pm every day.
The washing down of hard surfaces such as walls, windows and paved areas is not permitted at any time.
Mr Reeder said now was the perfect time to remind residents of the restrictions in place, as average household water usage continued to climb.
“Our water consumption, compared to last year, has gone up a lot,” he said.
“Last year we averaged 180 litres a day per household, but now as we try and keep our gardens alive in this hot summer, that level has risen past 300 litres.”
Orange’s water level is still a healthy 88 per cent, according to Mr Reeder, but restrictions remain in place to make sure it doesn’t reach low levels.
“Our water levels are certainly dropping, but to have 88 per cent left is a credit to Orange residents as they embrace these water restrictions,” he said.
According to Orange City Council’s website, on-the-spot fines may be issued to those who fail to comply with these restrictions.
“Failure to comply with these restrictions can result in on-the-spot fines of $220 with a maximum penalty of $2000,” the website states.
“These fines are in place to enforce the regime we have in place,” Mr Reeder said.
“Most of the community is doing the right thing but sometimes we get complaints about neighbours not doing the right thing.
“For any information about all of Orange City Council’s water restrictions, visit www.orange.nsw.gov.au/water.”
Orange City Council water restrictions - what you can and can’t do.
Garden beds, trees and shrubs may be watered by:
Watering systems, non fixed sprinklers, microsprays, drip systems, soaker hoses, hand held hoses (fitted with trigger nozzles), buckets and watering cans between 6am-9am and 6pm-9pm every second day as per the odds and evens system.
Watering of lawns is allowed between 6am-9am and between 6pm and 9pm every second day as per the odds and evens system.
The watering of new turf is permitted for one week after laying, after which level two restrictions apply.
The topping up and filling of garden water features is allowed.
The washing down of hard surfaces including walls, windows and paved areas is not allowed.
The first fill and topping up of swimming pools and external spas is allowed any day between 7am and 9am and between 6pm and 8pm.
The washing of vehicles at home is allowed any day between 9am and noon. Vehicles must be washed on the lawn with a bucket and rinsed with a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle.
Odds and evens system:
This means that if the street number of your property is odd you can water in accordance with restrictions on the odd dates of the month. If your property has an even number you can water in accordance with the restrictions on the even dates of the month.
If your property has a range of street numbers you should use the first number.
If your property does not have a street number, you should treat it as an even number property.
luke.schuyler@fairfaxmedia.com.au