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New Water Wise Rules now replace drought restrictions.

The new Water Wise Rules provided by Sydney Water are:

• All hoses must now have a trigger nozzle.
• Hand held hoses, sprinklers and watering systems may be used only before 10:00am and after 4:00pm on any day - to avoid the heat of the day.
• No hosing of hard surfaces such as paths and driveways. Washing vehicles is allowed.
• Fire hoses may be used for fire fighting activities only.
• The Water Wise Rules are simple, common sense actions that apply to all Sydney Water customers in Sydney, the Illawarra and the Blue Mountains. This includes residents, businesses, local councils and government agencies.

Sydney Water encourages the community to use their common sense when applying the Water Wise Rules. For example:

• Wash your car on the lawn wherever possible. This will not only water and fertilise your lawn but will also avoid stormwater pollution.
• Avoid any form of outdoor hosing between 10 am and 4 pm to avoid the heat of the day, when evaporation is high.
• Use a broom to clean up leaves, grass clippings, dirt, dust or general litter on paths or driveways instead of hosing.
• Water Wise Rules have been introduced as dam storage levels have been around 60% for the past year. This, together with more recycling projects and desalination coming on line, means greater Sydney is in a stronger position. However, continuing to be water wise makes good sense.

Exclusions

Recycled water, bore water and water used for testing fire systems, fire fighting and related activities are exempt from the Water Wise Rules. Water from rainwater tanks is also exempt if it is not topped up from Sydney Water’s supply.

Some government restrictions do apply to bore water and water extracted from rivers, so always check with your local council and the Department of Water and Energy.

Fines apply

A fine of $220 applies for all breaches of water saving rules by individuals. Businesses face a fine of $550 for each breach. Fines for water theft are $2,200. Authorised Sydney Water staff will carry out random checks to ensure compliance with the Water Wise Rules.

Click here for more Water Wise information on Sydney Water's website.

The information above has been supplied courtesy of Sydney Water.