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.
Wingecarribee
Wingecarribee Shire covers an area of 2700 square kilometers.
This area is know to tourists as the Southern Highlands of New South Wales.
This Shire is an important catchment area for water supply to Sydney, Wollongong and the Northern Shoalhaven.
Much of the Shire is located at or above 640 metres above sea level. The main towns are Bowral, Moss Vale, Mittagong and Bundanoon. As well, there are smaller villages like Hill Top, Yerrinbool, Colo Vale, Robertson, Berrima, New Berrima, Exeter, Burrawang, Penrose, Willow Vale, Alpine, Balaclava, Renwick, Wingello, Sutton Forest, Avoca, Fitzroy Falls and Balmoral Village.
The pattern of development is one of small towns and villages, separated by a semi rural landscape and from a planning perspective, Council intends to retain this character of the Shire.
The Eastern parts of the Shire are bounded by the Illawarra escarpment and Morton National Park, with some remnant rainforest and heathland.
The North of the Shire is characterised by rugged Eucalypt bushland, with gullies, gorges and sandy soils. This area forms part of the catchment for Sydney's water supply and three major storage dams (Avon, Nepean and Cordeaux).
The Wollondilly and Wingecarribee Rivers flow through the West of the Shire, through deep sandstone valleys and much of this area forms part of the catchment for Warragamba Dam.
The South of the Shire is bounded by Uringalla Creek and includes the villages of Bundanoon, Wingello and Penrose. This area is a sandstone plateau dissected by deep gorges.
Current Restriction
Watering with sprinklers and irrigation systems is allowed any day before 10am and after 4pm thereby avoiding watering in the heat of the day
All hand hoses must have a trigger nozzles and watering using hand held hoses should be avoided between 10am and 4pm
Instead of hosing hard surfaces, use a broom to clean up leaves, grass clippings, dirt, dust or general litter on paths or driveways
Washing vehicles is allowed however wash on your lawn wherever possible. This helps to water your lawn and also avoids adding to stormwater pollution.
The Water Wise Initiatives are applicable to all Southern Highlands residents.
Council has relaxed the existing water restrictions to enable the water wise inititaives. However, if local dam storage levels drop below 75 per cent capacity, Council will look at reintroducing some restrictive measures.
Recycled water, bore water and water used for testing fire systems, fire fighting and related activities are exempt from the Water Wise Initiatives.