RESIDENTS will be allowed to spring clean for Christmas following a decision to relax water restrictions for two weekends leading into the festive season.
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Orange councillors Glenn Taylor and Jeff Whitton put a motion to Tuesday night's council meeting that residents, who have been under water restrictions of various levels since August, 2010, be recognised for their compliance.
The pair's motion stated that "given the community's water conservation efforts over the last 11 years, we believe that residents should be rewarded by easing water restrictions over two consecutive weekends in order to allow a one-off, annual cleaning of external hard surfaces like walls, windows, garage floors and patios".
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The motion noted the community has consistently met water restriction targets over since 2010 with daily residential water usage being one of the most conservative in NSW.
"It's just recognition for a good effort, you do couple of chores around the house you would not normally do." Cr Whitton reiterated at Tuesday's meeting.
In supporting the motion, Cr Tony Mileto asked if there was any data available from a similar initiative last year.
Cr Duffy also supported the motion. "I'm happy to support it one hundred per cent especially when you look at the dams overflowing," he said. "When you look at the last 11 years that we're talking about, what the residents have been paying, I think there for three years in a row the water rates went up 10 per cent - bang, bang, bang - to raise money council needed at the time.
"I think its a great opportunity, probably a pity we didn't do it a bit early while parents had students at home."
In the motion, Crs Whitton and Taylor asked that this weekend and the following one of October 16 be set aside for the relaxation of restrictions but after it was decided to move the time closer to Christmas and let council staff choose the appropriate weekends.
Cr Stephen Nugent pointed out that under Permanent Water Saving Standards, which were adopted in October last year, there is a mechanism to relax restrictions.
"So really we're just implementing the Permanent Water Saving Standards," he said.
Cr Scott Munro said it was the right decision considering the dams were overflowing.
In order to spread the impact, council staff recommended cleaning be allowed between 7am and 6pm on these weekends with dates yet to be finalised.
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