Permanent Water Conservation Measures - Rules for Residents

Watering your garden and lawn 

During spring, summer and autumn (1 September to 31 May) 

✅ You can use sprinklers and other irrigation systems, including drip irrigation to water lawns and plants after 6pm and before 9am on any day. 

✅ You can use a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, a bucket or a watering can to water lawns and plants at any time.  

❌ You can’t use sprinklers and other irrigation systems, including drip irrigation, between 9am and 6pm.  

❌ You can’t water lawns and plants so heavily that it causes pooling or runoff. 

During winter (1 June to 31 August) 

✅ You can use sprinklers and other irrigation systems, including drip irrigation, a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, a bucket or a watering to water your lawn and plants at any time. 

❌ You can’t water lawns and plants so heavily that it causes pooling or runoff. 

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Washing cars and other vehicles

 ✅ You can wash your car and other vehicles at a commercial vehicle wash or a business that services, details or repairs vehicles or a vehicle dealership.  

  • You should wash your car or other vehicle on a lawn or other soft surface wherever possible.  
  • When washing your car, you can only use
    • a bucket or watering can;
    • a high-pressure low-volume cleaner, or
    • a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle

✅ You can flush or rinse your boat motor after use.

❌ You can't wash your car or other vehicle on roads, concrete driveways and other hard surfaces unless you have no other option.

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Cleaning driveways and paved areas

✅ You can use a bucket and mop or a high-pressure low-volume cleaner to clean paved areas at any time.

✅ You can use water to clean paved if cleaning is necessary as a result of accident, fire, health hazard or other emergency. In these circumstances the most water-efficient method of cleaning reasonably available should be adopted. Note: All applicable laws must be complied with when discharging substances into the stormwater system. In all other instances, you must not use water to clean paved areas.

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Windows, buildings and building gutters 

✅ You can clean building gutters at any time by any means. 

✅ You can wash windows and other external parts of buildings at any time using a bucket and mop or brush, squeegee or a high-pressure low-volume cleaner. 

✅ You can use water to wash building exteriors if cleaning is necessary as a result of accident, fire, health hazard or other emergency. In these circumstances the most water-efficient method of cleaning reasonably available should be adopted. Note: All applicable laws must be complied with when discharging substances into the stormwater system. 

❌ You can’t wash windows using a standard garden hose, even if it has a trigger nozzle. 

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Private ponds and fountains

✅ You can fill or top up your private ponds and fountains using a bucket, a watering can or a handheld hose fitted with a trigger nozzle. 

✅ You can have fountains that recirculate water from the pond or reservoir in which they are installed. 

❌ You can’t operate fountains that don’t recirculate water.  

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Private swimming pools and spas 

Emptying and refilling existing pools, and filling new pools and spas 

✅ You can only empty, refill, or fill your pools and spas (3000 litres or more) for the first time if: 

a) the occupier of the premises has lodged a water offset plan (pool exemption) with Icon Water; 
b) Icon Water has approved the water offset plan (pool exemption); 
c) the occupier of the premises complies with the approved water offset plan (pool exemption); and 
d) the pool or spa is fitted with a cover (that covers at least 80 percent of the surface area of the water) when the pool or spa is not in use.

Topping up pools and spas

✅ You can only top up your pool and spa (3,000 litres or more) using a bucket, a watering can or a handheld hose fitted with a trigger nozzle and only if: 

a) the topping up is done before 9am or after 6pm on any day; and 
b) your pool or spa is fitted with a cover (that covers at least 80 percent of the surface area of the water) when the pool or spa is not in use. 

✅ You can only top up your pool and spa (less than 3,000 litres) using a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, a bucket or watering can. 

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Water storage tanks, dams and lakes

  •  If your property is connected to Icon Water’s potable water supply system, you can only fill or top up your water storage tank, dam or lake if: 

a. the owner or occupier of the premises has lodged an exemption application with Icon Water; 
b. Icon Water has granted the exemption; and 
c. water is used in accordance with the exemption.  

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