FAQs

The Government has introduced a range of water efficiency measures to achieve water conservation and efficient use of water resources across the community in Western Australia.

The two days a week sprinkler roster that was in place for the 1.6 million users of the Integrated Water Supply Scheme between September 2001 and September 2007 was accepted by the overwhelming majority (more than 90 per cent) of consumers and the horticultural industries as a sensible water efficiency measure.

In 2005/06, 75 per cent of towns in Western Australia used more water per capita than users of the Integrated Scheme. This indicated clearly that there were significant opportunities across the State to improve water efficiency by implementing sensible water roster regimes.

In Perth, more than 25 per cent of all lawns and gardens are supplied through garden bores. Because of the drying climate and with groundwater levels under threat it is appropriate that bore use be restricted to three days a week.

There is also a need to ensure that all sectors – Government agencies, local governments, commercial, large industries and householders - throughout WA - commit to even greater water efficiency.

The measures apply to communities serviced by all three water utilities – the Water Corporation, Aqwest in Bunbury, the Busselton Water Board and company-owned mining towns.

The Government and its agencies responsible for water issues believe that through this major water efficiency initiative, garden watering, whether it is from drinking water Schemes or groundwater for other uses, can be reduced everywhere without compromise to our Western Australian way of life.

The new water efficiency measures include a permanent watering day roster for scheme water users across Western Australia and a limit on the number of days bore owners in Perth are permitted to water their gardens. All government departments, local councils, businesses, company owned mining towns that use large amounts of water and schools will be required to undertake audits to identify ways to be more efficient in their use of water.

The permanent statewide watering roster and the limits on bore use in Perth came into effect on 1 October 2007.

The shift to daylight savings time will not affect the allowed garden watering times. Gardens can be watered by reticulation on your allocated days during either the morning (before 9am) or the evening (after 6pm). You may need to adjust your reticulation system if it is set close to these times. To check your allocated watering days, visit our Watering Roster.

To find out your watering days, simply take the last digit of your house number and apply it to the Watering Roster for your area. If you don't have a house number use your lot number.

For example: If you live at 12 Rose Street, the last digit of your house number is 2.
If you live at Unit 3, 351-355 Rose Street, the last digit of your house number is 5.

Bore owners are only allowed to water with their garden bore on 3 days each week, once per day, either before 9am or after 6pm.

Some shared garden bores are operated from a single controller, and modifications to pipework to meet the requirement that individual properties water on their nominated watering day may be expensive Therefore DoW is allowing an exemption for these properties. This will allow properties with a shared bore to water on the nominate days for the property that has the controller. This provision also applies to watering with scheme water, it can only be used on the nominated days of the property that has the controller.

The new 3 day per week watering regime for garden bores only applies to unlicensed garden bores in the metropolitan area. It does not apply to garden bores licensed by the Department of Water. However all bore water uses must comply with the daytime sprinkler ban i.e.. no watering between 9 am and 6 pm.

The implementation of the water efficiency measures will ensure that local councils in metropolitan Perth comply with the statewide daytime sprinkler ban by 1 July 2008.

This will include amendment of all Local Government authorities water allocation licences by 1 July 2008 to include the daytime sprinkler ban condition. All regional councils will be required to comply with the daytime sprinkler ban by 1 July 2009. The compliance will be undertaken in liaison with the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA). The Department of Water will issue friendly reminders, warnings and infringements to councils contravening the daytime sprinkler ban beyond these compliance dates. All local government authorities will be required to develop and submit water efficiency plans to the Department of Water by 1 July 2009.

Contact for more information: Department of Water’s hotline on 1800 508 885

Exemptions to the new water efficiency measures may include residential community areas or businesses that can demonstrate they are already water efficient. For example, developments where reticulation is controlled using a rain gauge and soil moisture sensor (eg. Brighton in Perth’s far northern suburbs).

The new measures regarding garden watering do not apply to systems where recycled or grey water is used (although recycled water users must still comply with the statewide daytime sprinkler ban ie. watering only between 6 pm and 9 am).

Exemptions from the garden watering regimes exist for caravan parks, market gardens and nurseries etc. Refer to Water Corporation Customer Services Division work instruction 01-0292 for the complete list of garden watering exemptions.

For more information on exemptions, please call the Waterwise helpline on 13 10 39.

For a full list of exemptions, please click here.

Since 1 October 2007, Western Australia has been divided into two permanent water efficiency zones. All communities from Kalbarri and Kalgoorlie Boulder and towns to their south are limited to two day a week watering of lawns and gardens, while those north are only able to water on alternate days. See water efficiency zones.

The existing daytime sprinkler ban from 9am to 6pm remains across Western Australia. This is enforced by the Department of Water and water providers with penalties for non compliance.

All media enquiries are handled by Phil Kneebone, Water Corporation, on 9420 3386.

Those who do not comply with the water efficiency measures will be liable to penalties including infringements and prosecutions. Both scheme and garden bore users will continue to be subject to the current penalty of $500 which may be modified to a $100 ‘on the spot’ infringement penalty for non compliance. Details of other penalties applying under the new measures will be posted on the Water Corporation and Department of Water websites by 1 October 2007.

Together with the Department of Education and Training, the Water Corporation will conduct audits at 50 government and non-government school education institutions identified as high water users. These schools will then be encouraged to become a waterwise school through joining the Waterwise Schools Program. Schools which already form part of the Waterwise Schools Program will also be audited, by 1 July 2008, to establish further steps to improve their water efficiency.

Contact for more information: Education Coordinator, Water Corporation on 9420 2681.

As part of the State Government's support for the new water efficiency measures, improvements will be made to water efficiency compliance for Government Departments. All 74 Government Departments listed under Policy 14 of the Department of Housing and Works 2004 Office Accommodation Policy will undertake a water management audit facilitated by the Water Corporation. The Departments will also develop a water efficiency management plan. Additionally, Government departments will be required, by 1 July 2009, to undertake a water audit and, where appropriate, adopt recommendations on water efficient fittings and appliances and to set water use targets.

Contact for more information: Sustainability and Australian Building Greenhouse Ratings Manager at the Department of Housing and Works on 9222 8124, or Business Relationship Manager - Water Corporation on 9420 3881.

The new water efficiency measures for WA will increase participation by business in the Waterwise Business Program. By 1 July 2009 businesses that use more than 20,000 kilolitres of water annually will be required to participate in the Water Corporation's Waterwise Businesses Program. This involves undertaking an annual water management audit facilitated by the Water Corporation. It also involves these businesses developing and complying with a water efficiency management plan.

Contact for more information: Business Relationship Manager - Water Corporation on 9420 3881.