Watering exemptions
The exemptions below only apply to scheme water supplied by the Water Corporation. Note that all exemptions granted, may be subject to verification and audit.
You must apply for an exemption for the following activities by calling 13 10 39.
New lawns and gardens
If you are establishing a new lawn or garden, you may apply for additional watering times and days.
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Variation to designated watering days
Public institutions and sporting bodies can apply for an exemption to alter their designated watering days. To be eligible, the organisation must demonstrate the need to change their watering days and have considered all other watering options.
If granted, the exemption allows watering to occur on nominated alternative days, between the hours of 6pm and 9am, on a total number of days in the week equal to that allowed in their watering regime zone.
The following exemptions are granted automatically.
Installation, repair and testing of irrigation systems
A person, during the course of their employment in the turf, garden or landscaping industries can operate an irrigation system to the minimum extent necessary while the system is being installed, maintained, tested or repaired.
The Water Corporation advises that in this case the ‘minimum extent necessary’ is considered to involve limiting testing to a maximum of two minutes per station. An 'Authorised sprinkler testing in progress' sign must be clearly displayed on the site for the duration of the testing.
Caravan parks or camping ground sites
A person can water a caravan park or camping ground site immediately after it has been vacated. A standard drink (of 10millimetres) is allowed.
Indoor plants including glasshouses
You can water indoor plants including glasshouses. The use of a mist spray for up to one minute four times a day is satisfactory.
Lawn tennis courts, turf wickets and bowling greens
Managers of grassed covered sporting grounds in any town south of (and including) Kalbarri and Kalgoorlie can water using an irrigation system for one additional day per week (before 9am and after 6pm). This means that these uses have three watering days each week.
Aviaries
People with aviaries can put their sprinklers on to cool down birds in their cages.
Market gardens or plant nurseries
A person can water a market garden or plant nursery to the minimum extent necessary to ensure the viable operation of the market garden or plant nursery.
Synthetic sporting grounds
You can water synthetic sporting surfaces for 10 minutes before a sport is played or practised on the sporting ground.
Applying wetting agents and fertilisers (includes vertimowing)
A person, during the course of employment in the turf, garden and landscaping industries, can apply 10 millimetres of water immediately after the application of fertilisers, wetting agents or vertimowing.
This exemption is not available to general customers who are expected to carry out these activities and watering on their allocated day and within the allowed times.
Firefighting
A person can use water to the minimum extent necessary for fire fighting or training for fire fighting.
Commercial
All commercial and industrial properties are exempt if the water is required for operational purposes.
The exemption does not cover watering of lawns and/or gardens at these properties.
