As the temperatures continue to rise, Australians need to be mindful of water regulations that may affect them over the coming months.
While we all love getting out in the garden for a barbecue and a few bevies on the weekend, or like to chill out after a stressful day, there are some rules for when it comes to keeping your garden in tip-top shape during the almost inevitable droughts that will hit.
The Australian Board of Meteorology lists four categories of water regulations which dictate just what’s acceptable when it comes to keeping your space as green as possible in the scorching heat.
Hand-held hoses must have a trigger nozzle fitted.
Stage One:
You can hand water residential gardens and lawns at any time, on any day, using a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle.
Watering systems can only be used on alternate days between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Generally speaking, even numbered properties will water on even numbered days, while odd numbered properties will water on odd numbered days. All properties may water on the 31st of any month or the 29th of February.
Stage Two:
Residential gardens may be hand watered at any time with a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle.
Lawns cannot be watered at any time.
Watering systems may be used, on the same grounds as Stage One, but only between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m., and 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Sprinkler systems can only be used on alternate days.
Stage Three:
Hand watering of gardens can be done on alternate days between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. using a trigger nozzle hand-held hose. Lawns cannot be watered at any time.
In terms of watering systems, gardens can only be watered on a dripping water system on alternate days between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m.
Stage Four:
Gardens or lawns cannot be watered at any time.