Dos and don'ts for sprinklers and outdoor use

You can

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  • Water a commercial market garden or plant nursery
  • Water lawns and gardens using irrigation systems with sprinklers or drippers on your watering days, EITHER once in the morning before 9 am or once in the evening after 6 pm
  • Water lawns and gardens with a hand held hose or watering can
  • You can apply for an exemption for additional watering times/days if you are establishing a new lawn or garden.
  • Water grass covered sporting grounds using sprinklers, EITHER once before 9 am or after 6 pm, 3 days per week
  • Top up a swimming pool 
  • Fill a new swimming pool or spa
  • Wash your car
  • Only use a high pressure water cleaner or hand held hose to spray buildings, building sites, demolition sites, paths, paved areas and roads to:
    • fight fires;
    • avoid a threat to public health or safety (eg: cleaning up a chemical spill); and
    • construct, demolish or repair buildings, paved areas and roads.
  • Test your irrigation system on your allocated watering days and times following repairs to the pipework, however;
    • testing is limited to a maximum of two minutes per station;
    • you must be in attendance in the garden area where the sprinklers are operating; and
    • inspectors will ask to view repairs.
  • Employ a professional in the irrigation, turf, garden or landscaping industries to test your irrigation system on or outside of your allocated watering days and times, however;
    • testing is limited to a maximum of two minutes per station
    • the professional must be in attendance in the garden area where the sprinklers are operating;
    • appropriate signage indicating that testing is in progress must be clearly displayed; and
    • inspectors will ask to view repairs

You can't

  • Water gardens and lawns using irrigation systems in BOTH the morning and evening of your allocated watering days.
  • Water lawns and gardens using irrigation systems between the hours of 9 am and 6 pm.
  • Clean driveways, walls or windows of buildings with a hose.
  • Run your irrigation outside your allowed watering days or times to:
    • see if the system is operating; or
    • adjust sprays on sprinklers