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Water restrictions

Information about the different stages of water restrictions

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What is the impact of water restrictions?

Water restrictions have an immediate benefit in helping to save a town’s water supplies. They constrain how our customers can use water and generally only apply to outdoor water use.

During restrictions, water can be used at any time for human health requirements, stock and animal health requirements, fire fighting, and ensuring the safety (not cleaning) of vehicles and equipment.

A summary of water restrictions appears below. Details of water restrictions and exemptions can be found in the Water Restriction By-law.

There are no current water restrictions in our service area.

Summary of Water Restrictions

Summary of Water Restrictions
Restrictions Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4
Gardens and

lawns
  • Hand water at any time using a hand-held hose
  • Watering systems can be used 6-10am and 6-10pm on alternate days
  • Water gardens any time using a hand-held hose
  • Lawns cannot be watered
  • Watering systems can be used 6-8am and 6-8pm on alternate days
  • Water gardens on alternate days between 6-8am using a hand-held hose.
  • Water gardens using a dripper watering system on alternate days between 6-8am
  • Lawns cannot be watered
  • Gardens and lawns cannot be watered
Public gardens and playing surfaces
  • Hand water at any time using a hose
  • Watering systems can be used 6-10am and 6-10pm on alternate days
  • Hand water gardens at any time using a hose
  • Garden watering systems can be used  6-8am and 6-8pm on alternate days
  • Hand water gardens on alternate days between 6-8am using hand-held hose
  • Garden watering systems can be used 6-8am on alternate days
  • Public gardens, lawns and playing surfaces can't be watered at any time without an exemption
Fountains and water features
  • You can fill and operate a fountain or water feature as long as it recirculates the water
  • Can't be topped up or filled
  • Can't be topped up or filled
  • Can't be topped up or filled
Hosing down hard surfaces
  • Can't hose down hard surfaces including driveways, paths, concrete, tiles, timber and timber decking except where cleaning is required as a result of an accident, fire, health hazard, safety hazard or other emergency
  • As per stage 1
  • As per stage 1
  • As per stage 1
Vehicle washing
  • Wash your car, boat or other vehicle using a high pressure cleaning unit, hand-held hose or a bucket at any time
 As per stage 1
  • Can wash car windows, mirrors, lights, registration plates and for spot removing corrosive substances using a bucket or watering can
 As per stage 3
Sports grounds
  • Councils and schools can water sports grounds and gardens in set times or submit a Water Use Plan to efficiently use water
 As per stage 1 As per stage 1 Can't water sporting grounds and gardens at anytime without an exemption
Pools, spas and water toys
  • New pool or spa up to 2,000 litres can be filled by hand-held hose, bucket or an automatic water top-up device
  • Pool or spa of greater than 2,000 litres can only be filled in accordance  with a Water Use Plan
  • An existing pool or spa topped up using an automatic top-up device or hand-held hose or bucket
  • A water toy connected to a hose cannot be used at any time
  • Filling - as per stage 1
  • Topping up - hand-held hose or bucket on alternate days between 6-8am and 6-8pm
  • No water toys connected to a hose
  • Cannot be filled
  • Topping up - hand-held hose or bucket on alternate days between 6-8am
  • No water toys connected to a hose
  • Cannot be filled
  • Topped up only using a bucket
  • No water toys connected to a hose

 

Note: 'Alternate day' means if you have an odd street number, you may use water on each odd number day of the month. If you have a property with an even street number, or property with no street number, you may use water on even days of the month. The 31st and 29 February are considered 'alternate days' for all properties.

Apply for Exemption and Water Use Plans 

Permanent water-saving rules are always in place to help us use water efficiently. We sometimes use water restrictions to help manage urban water use.

A Water Use Plan controls the use of water for specific purposes or for a specific stage of restrictions. It helps you maximise your water-savings during restrictions.

In special circumstances, you can request an exemption from some permanent water saving rules or a stage of water restrictions.

Apply now