Stage 3a Water Restrictions for Melbourne
Stage 3a water restrictions for Melbourne commence Sunday 1 April 2007. Stage 3a builds on and replaces Stage 3 restrictions which were announced in January. Stage 3a restrictions are expected to be in place until 1 August 2007, dependent upon the amount of rainfall Melbourne's storages receive.
Because Melbourne is still below the trigger level for Stage 4 restrictions, Stage 3a have been introduced in the hope of stemming the flow of water use and preventing the need to introduce Stage 4.
The main changes to the rules under Stage 3a are:
- Gardens can be watered twice a week on specified watering days* - but only in the mornings. There is no manual evening watering.
- Automatic dripper systems are restricted to twice a week on specified watering days* - but only between 12midnight and 2am.
Ensure that you understand and adhere to the water restrictions. Penalties may be enforced by water patrol officers or water authorities if you breach water restrictions. Penalties may include having your water supply restricted and/or being prosecuted.
In the face of climate change and as Melbourne continues to have record dry months, the City of Port Phillip urges all our residents and businesses to do everything you can to help protect and conserve our precious water.
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What do Stage 3a restrictions include?
Stage 3a restrictions include the following:
Residential
- No watering lawns at any time.
- Spray sprinkler systems and spray watering systems can no longer be used.
- Residential gardens can only be watered on specified watering days.*
- Automatic dripper systems can only be used to water gardens - not lawns - between 12 midnight and 2am on specified watering days.*
- Manual dripper systems (the type turned on and off by hand); hand-held hoses fitted with trigger nozzles; buckets or watering cans may only be used for watering gardens - not lawns - between 6am - 8am on specified watering days.* There is no manual evening watering permitted.
- Washing or rinsing cars with a hose (even with trigger nozzle) or high-pressure water cleaning device is banned.
- Cars can be cleaned at a commercial car wash. A bucket, filled directly from a tap can only be used to clean windows, mirrors, lights and spot-remove corrosive substances from cars.
- New pools or spas cannot be filled.
- Specific requirements apply to existing pools and spas. See Stage 3a Water Restrictions for full details.
*Specified watering days are: Saturday and Tuesday only for even numbered properties; Sunday and Wednesday only for odd numbered properties. People aged over 70 can water between 8am - 10am on specified watering days.
Note: A dripper system drips water onto plants on or near the root zone. It must use a fixed rate of flow which does not exceed nine litres per hour for every linear meter of watering system. Contact your local Water Saver Garden Centre, or South East Water for information about retrofitting a dripper system.
Greywater, rainwater and recycled water
Recycled water and greywater can be used to water at any time provided that it is not stored for longer than 24 hours and as long as EPA Victoria guidelines are adhered to. See EPA Victoria household water reuse guidelines for more information on safe use. No restrictions apply to using rainwater collected in a storage tank for use in the garden - provided it is not supplemented by mains water supply.
Business, Commercial and Industry
- All watering times and vehicle washing restrictions as outlined for residents above must be followed by businesses and commercial enterprises. Car yards, car detailers and commercial car washes are excluded. For further information contact South East Water on 131 867.
- Under Stage 3a restrictions, the top 1,500 water-using industries will be required to develop mandatory Water Saving Plans, identifying ways that they can save water. This is expected to result in savings of 5 billions litres per year.
Stage 3a Restrictions - full details
See the full details of the new Stage 3a Water Restrictions. General information on water restrictions is also available from South East Water's water restrictions information line: 131 867.
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Breaches of water restrictions can incur penalties
Water Patrol Officers will continue to be out in force across Melbourne on the look out for people not complying with water restrictions. Water Patrol Officers and government authorities may impose penalties on individuals and organisations breaching the water restrictions or the permanent water saving rules. In the past, water flow to a household breaching the rules was restricted to 2 litres per minute.
If you wish to report suspected breaches of water restrictions contact South East Water's water restrictions line on 131 867 or the State Government on 13WATER (139 2837).
Remember - Existing Permanent Water Saving Rules still apply
These Stage 2 water restrictions are in addition to our current Permanent Water Saving Rules which have been enforced since 1 March 2005.
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What City of Port Phillip is doing
Council will continue to comply with all water restrictions and has in fact adopted 2003 water restrictions as our standard base operating procedure since that time - reducing Council's reliance on drinking water supplies. Council will not only continue to apply these standard operating procedures, but will work to continually improve our water saving actions across our parks, gardens and buildings.
Under Stage 2, Stage 3 and Stage 3a restrictions, lawns cannot be watered by Council unless exemptions have been granted. These City of Port Phillip sites have irrigation exemptions for Stage 3a restrictions:
- St Kilda Botanical Gardens, St Kilda
- St Kilda Town Hall Forecourt, St Kilda
- St Vincents Gardens, South Melbourne
- Gasworks Park, South Melbourne
- Cricket Ground, Port Melbourne
- Soccer Ground Port Melbourne
Exemptions have also been granted to irrigation the following sports grounds during stage 3a:
- Peanut Farm Oval - St Kilda
- Head Street Oval #1 - Elwood
- Woodruff Oval - Port Melbourne
These exemptions have been granted by South East Water (SEW) as council has reduced water use to 25% in parks and open space. Recycled water is in use at JL Murphy Reserve Ovals as well being used for mobile water tankers that deliver water to our street and park trees.
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Sustainable Water Partnership
Since 2004, the City of Port Phillip has been using recycled water for some of our irrigation needs. City of Port Phillip and Barry Bros Specialist Services have joined forces to recycle and reuse stormwater through an innovative project operating out of JL Murphy Reserve. Water is collected from service pits around the metropolitan area and transported to JL Murphy reserve, where it is treated to Class C standard. This recycled water is then used for Council purposes such as irrigation of green spaces, trees and street cleaning.
Learn more about water management at City of Port Phillip.
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Water conservation: good water management
The City of Port Phillip has always been committed to achieving best practice in water conservation. To assist in conserving water resources and preserve Port Phillip's outdoor environment the council has initiated, developed and implemented a variety of water saving projects over the years, including a drought management plan.
The plan details the council's compliance with the State Government's water restrictions, a number of water saving initiatives and the identification of an open space hierarchy applied as drought conditions persist and water restrictions increase.
Water conservation successes include:
- Saving 253 Olympic sized swimming pools worth of water since 2000, by using a computerised irrigation system that communicates with the local weather station to judge when an area needs to be irrigated
- Ensuring all new residential developments are installed with AAA water-conserving taps and shower roses
- Assisting over 500 Port Phillip households to reduce water consumption through the Sustainable Living at Home program
- Developing a recycled water treatment plant to irrigate and water street trees
- Initiating a pilot project to collect water from building roofs for irrigation of open space
- Guiding pilot projects like the award winning Inkerman Oasis and 48 Ormond Road that demonstrate how grey water and stormwater can be used in toilets and gardens
- Rebuilding the EcoHouse in St Kilda into a sustainable home demonstrating how water, energy and money can be save
- Installing 'save water' signs throughout Port Phillip, in conjunction with South East Water.
For water saving tips please visit: www.savewater.com.au
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Victorian Government Water Rebate Scheme
The Victorian Government, in conjunction with Victoria's water authorities, are offering Victorians a rebate on eligible water conservation products. This water rebate scheme has now been extended until 30 June 2007.
To find out whether you are eligible for the rebate and how you will be reimbursed, visit the State Government's Water Rebate Page or call 136 186.
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Burst or leaking Water Main
If you have a burst or leaking water main please contact South East Water:
- Faults & Emergencies: 132 812
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More information
For more information about water restrictions in Melbourne areas please contact South East Water, www.southeastwater.com.au or telephone 131 867.
Use eServices to ask us a question, request information or give us feedback online. If you prefer call ASSIST on (03) 9209 6777 or TTy (03) 9209 6713 and ask for Parks & Open Space.
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