LEVEL four water restrictions will take effect from Saturday, with Orange City Council forced to implement the measures in response to the ongoing drought.
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With a target water consumption of just 200 litres per person per day, it involves some tight rules and regulations.
What can and can't you do in your residential property? Keep reading ...
- Watering of lawns: Not permitted at any time.
- Watering of gardens: Watering systems, non-fixed sprinklers and hand-held hoses are not permitted at any time. Microsprays, drip systems, soaker hoses can be used between 4pm and 6pm on Wednesday and Sunday.
- Topping up or filling water gardens features: Permitted.
- Irrigation of new turf: Not permitted.
- Washing down walls or paved surfaces: Not permitted.
- Topping up private swimming pools and spas: Only between 7am and 9am and between 6pm and 8pm, every day. Pool covers must be used.
- First fill of private swimming pools: Only with council permission and after water savings elsewhere within property. Covers must be used.
- Washing cars at home: Permitted with a bucket only on lawn between 9am and 12pm any day.
- Baths and showers: Five-minute showers and one bath per person per day.
- Washing of clothes: Full loads only permitted.
- Use of evaporative airconditioners: Permitted only between 7am and midnight daily.
- Inflatable or temporary children's pools: Permitted.
Orange mayor Reg Kidd said lawns would need less water as autumn and winter progressed and frosts took hold.
"We're already having very heavy dews and you'll find the water use is very low because if you've got kikuyu or buffalo or any of those, they'll start dying off anyhow," he said.
"While we're moving from the system of watering every other day morning and night, to the much tougher approach of two hours on two days a week, we want to be fair to people who still want to use a hand-held hose."
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