Water conservation measures apply for both BCC & Moreton Bay Regional Shire residents.
- Queensland Water Commission: Permanent Water Conservation Measures
- No watering between 10am and 4pm
- No watering on Mondays
- Please use only what you need – Target 200 (OR LESS!)
- Information line: 1300 789 906
- Business restrictions apply to all businesses
- Efficient sprinklers and hoses can be used to water gardens and lawns as long as its in accordance with guidelines
- Use only a hose with a trigger or twist nozzle
- Irrigation systems (drippers micro-sprayers pop-up sprinklers drip lines) with sprinklers that deliver less than 9 litres per minute and have a timer (electric timer with either rain or moisture sensor)
- Buckets and cans anytime
- Stop water from falling on buildings and hard surfaces
- Don’t water in windy conditions
- Mulch garden to reduce evaporation
- Calculate your garden’s water needs
- Ensure soil is dry enough to warrant watering – don’t water after rain
- Don’t allow water to pool or run off
- Vehicles and outdoor areas can be washed at any time as long as water is used efficiently
- Rainwater can be used at any time
- Please use only what you need
- New pools can be filled with town water and existing pools can be filled as long as efficient fittings are in place
Water restrictions are set by the Queensland Water Commission (QWC). The QWC is legally required to monitor and enforce the restrictions. The QWC’s Permanent Water Conservation Measures came into force on 1 December 2009 and include a water usage target of 200 litres per person per day.
On the QWC website youll find detailed information about the water conservation measures for both residents and businesses. We recommend you familiarise yourself with those that are relevant to you because excessive water use could mean you are banned from using water for outside watering.
A summary of the water restrictions has been provided in the table below. For more information contact us or contact the Queensland Water Commission.
Summary of water restrictions
Residential water users
| Gardens and Lawns |
Watering using a hose with a twist or trigger nozzle or a water-efficient irrigation system can occur any day except Monday between 4pm and 10am. All irrigation equipment must comply with the QWC efficient irrigation for water conservation guideline (please note most existing irrigation systems will not meet the requirements of the guideline). Watering with a bucket or watering can is permitted at anytime. New gardens and lawns can be watered-in on the day of establishment. Future watering must then comply with the times above. |
| Existing pools and spas |
Town water can only be used for topping-up where a rainwater tank or downpipe rainwater diverter is fitted and after all water from such devices is used and the premises complies with three (3) of the following (or is a SPASA EcoPool):
Where the above measures have been met topping up can occur at any time. |
| Vehicles | Cleaning at any time using a bucket of water hand-held hose with a trigger or twist-nozzle or a high-pressure cleaning unit. |
| Building washing |
Cleaning at any time using a bucket of water hand-held hose with a trigger or twist-nozzle or a high-pressure cleaning unit. Please note driveways and similar hard surfaces except outdoor entertainment areas are not to be washed down unless for health and safety reasons or if there is significant soiling. Such cleaning applies only to the affected area not the entire surface. |
| Play pools |
A play pool can be used where it:
|
| High-water users | Households using more than 1200 litres of town water per day or more than 300 litres per person per day without a legitimate reason may face an outdoor water ban. |
| Rainwater tanks | Rainwater tanks must not be filled with town water from a tap water tanker or any other device. Residents using water from a water tanker must check the water is not sourced from town supply. The only exception is where the property is not within Unitywater’s town water supply area or a trickle top-up system has been installed. |
Business Industry and non-residential water users
| Using more than 10 million litres per year |
Must comply with their approved Water Efficiency Management Plan and achieve a 25% water saving or best practice water use. |
| Using more than one million litres per year |
Must have water-efficient taps trigger-sprays and shower heads (i.e. flow-rate of no more than nine litres per minute). |
| With urinals | Urinals must be water-efficient. |
| With cooling towers |
Must submit and comply with a Water Efficiency Management Plan. |
| Mobile vehicle washers |
Must only use water in accordance with water efficiency guidelines. |
| Commercial pool and spa operators | Must keep a weekly log and install a rainwater tank a sub-meter and a clear-view screen in the backwash outlet line together with a range of water-efficient fittings. |
| Operators of visitor accommodation | Must display water conservation information in bathrooms and ablution blocks to encourage guests to be water efficient. |
| Active playing surfaces |
Must only use water in accordance with the active playing surfaces guidelines. Operators must:
Different requirements apply to each category of playing surface – check with Unitywater or the Queensland Water Commission for details. |
| Nurseries |
Must comply with their approved Water Efficiency Management Plan and achieve a 25% water saving or best practice water use. |
| Public swimming pool operators |
Must comply with their approved Water Efficiency Management Plan and achieve a 25% water saving or best practice water use. |
| Irrigating more than 500 square metres of garden and/or lawn |
Must comply with an approved Irrigation Water Efficiency Management Plan and achieve a 25% water saving or best practice water use. |