Water Restrictions
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Water Restrictions website provides access to current water restrictions information for the whole of Australia. Water restrictions information can be searched by State or Territory, water agency and restriction name. Water restriction names and rules vary throughout Australia due to local requirements.
Canberra and ACT
Urban Canberra
Current Restriction
Permanent Water Conservation Measures, currently in place in ACT and Queanbeyan, are common sense rules that allow the community to continue to save water for the future. The rules in place govern how water can be used on gardens and lawns, during pool filling, car washing, and cleaning.
The Measures currently in place and are mandatory and enforceable. Anyone found in breach of the measures may be liable for fines starting at $200 for an individual or $1,000 for a corporation.
The Measures apply to Icon Water's potable water ('drinking' or 'tap' water). Non-potable sources are not restricted.
In short:
From September to May, sprinklers and other irrigation systems, including drip irrigation, may only be used to water lawns and plants after 6pm and before 9am on any day. During the winter months these systems may be used at any time.
A hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, a bucket or a watering can may be used to water lawns and plants at any time.
At all times lawns and plants may only be watered without causing pooling or runoff.
A bucket and mop or a high-pressure low-volume cleaner may be used to clean paved areas at any time
Pools and spas with a capacity of 3,000 litres or more must not be either emptied, refilled with a written exemption from Icon Water.
Please refer to the Icon Water website for full details.