Note:  Please check Sydney Water for the most current restrictions.

Did you know that more than 85% of Greater Sydney’s water supply relies on rainfall? During prolonged periods of drought (as we’ve had recently), our water supply becomes short. Water restrictions help bring attention to the issue and help maintain the supply we have. Recently the NSW Government introduced Level 2 water restrictions in Sydney.

What does it mean to you?

Watering lawns & gardens

You can:

• Water lawns and gardens with a watering can or bucket before 10am and after 4pm
• Water your garden with a drip irrigation system or watering system for just 15 minutes a day per watering zone.
• Water new turf as long as you follow the four-week watering plan approved by Sydney Water for new turf.

You can’t:

• Use standard sprinklers or watering systems at any time
• Use water toys that connect to a hose, such as a slip and slide.
• Leave hoses and taps running unattended
• Water your garden with a hose
• Leave hoses and taps running
• Allow water to run off onto hard surfaces such as paths and roadways
• Use the sprinkler for children to play under

Cleaning buildings and vehicles

You can:

• Wash your private car, truck, van, motorbike or caravan using a bucket and sponge or at a commercial car wash 
• Wash your private boat for 10 minutes using a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle after the boat has been in seawater
• Flush boat motors with a bucket or a purpose-designed flushing device connected to a hose
• Clean bilges using a high-pressure cleaning device or hose fitted with a trigger nozzle
• Fill water tanks on a boat using a hose, as long as you don't leave the hose unattended or allow the tank to overflow
• Clean essential safety components of boat trailers (eg wheel bearings or brakes) using a high-pressure cleaning device or hose fitted with a trigger nozzle.

You can’t:

• Hose your car, trailer or boat with a hose, even if the hose is fitted with a trigger nozzle, except as described above
• Leave hoses and taps unattended

Pools & spas

You can:

• Top up an existing pool or spa, using a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, watering can or bucket for a maximum of 15 minutes a day. You can only do this to replace water lost through evaporation, not to replace water deliberately removed from the pool or spa.

You can’t:

• Fill a new or renovated pool or spa (that holds more than 500 L) with drinking water unless you have a pool/spa filling permit and an approved pool cover or lockable spa cover in use.
• Use water toys that connect to a hose such as a slide

Cleaning hard services (paths and driveways)

You can:

• Spot clean hard surfaces for health and safety or emergency reasons only using a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle or high pressure cleaning equipment
• Use water for dust suppression for health or environmental reasons, using a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, bucket or watering can. You can only do this if there is no alternative water source (such as recycled water) available
• Wash your garbage bin using water from a bucket or a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle
• ash your windows or other glass surfaces with a bucket and cloth/sponge or engage a window cleaner who has an exemption permit

You can’t:

• Clean walls, roofing, gutters or hard surfaces such as paths, driveways and paved areas with a hose or high pressure cleaner as part of general cleaning
• Use water for dust suppression without a permit, unless there's no alternative water source reasonably available
• Leave hoses and taps running unattended.

Animal care

You can:

• Provide drinking water for animls, including birds. If you use a hose, it must be fitted with a trigger nozzle.
• Clean or cool animals using a bucket and sponge, a hose with a trigger nozzle or a professional animal wash service.
• Use a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, bucket or high-pressure cleaning equipment to clean pens, yards and cages.
• Cool animal enclosures (such as sheds or similar) to ensure animal welfare or meet legal requirements using dedicated sprinklers used only for cooling between 6am-9pm when the temperature in the shed is higher than 30 degrees.
• Use fogging systems, misting systems or cooling pads at any time.

You can't:

• Leave hoses unattended.
• Use a hose without a trigger nozzle to fill water dishes, clean animals or clean pens.
• Use sprinklers except as outlined above the cooling of sheds and similar enclosures.

Learn more about the restrictions at Sydney Water:

http://www.sydneywater.com.au/SW/water-the-environment/what-we-re-doing/water-restrictions/index.htm