• Home
• Your account
• Helping customers
• Saving water
  • In your business
  • In your garden
  • In your home
  • Reducing leaks
  • Recycling
  • Water restrictions
  • Water saving tips
• Water quality
• Ensuring the future
• Building and developing
• Plumbing
• Major projects
• Tenders
• Our systems and operations
• Who we are
• Publications
• Ask Sydney Water

Definitions

Container	A container may include things such as a tank, vat, drum, bucket, portable road barriers, rubbish bins or a garden water feature. The container may be filled, but not be allowed to overflow and waste water.
Corporation	Examples of a Corporation might include a propriety limited company, public company, strata unit owners' corporation, etc.
Drip irrigation system	A drip irrigation system has special low pressure drip devices that release water slowly, in drips, at orbelow ground level near plant roots. These systems also include weeping hoses.
Garden	One or more plants, trees or shrubs, either in the ground or within containers.
Hard surface	Hard surfaces include paths, driveways, floors and buildings.
Hoses	Hoses connected to metered standpipes are included in these restrictions if they are being used for any restricted activities.
Sprinkler	A sprinkler is any attachment to a garden hose or fixed pipe that is left unattended to emit water over a given area. Sprinklers are not permitted at any time. Hoses must not be left unattended at any time.
Swimming pool existing	Existing pools are pools that are the owner's responsibility that may require topping up or filling from time to time.
Swimming pool new	Newly constructed pools which require filling for the first time by a pool installer will require a permit (PDF - 712KB) .
Swimming pool renovation	Pool renovations are classified as alterations that require substantial changes to the shape of a pool, or major additions to the structure around the pool. These are treated as new pools and require a permit (PDF - 712KB) . Building plans must be approved by the local council and Sydney Water for this type of work. (Activities such as retiling or resurfacing existing pools are not classified as major renovations).
Trigger nozzle	A nozzle fitted to the end of your hose controlled by: a trigger which must be depressed continuously, or locked in the on position, by hand for water to flow; or a discrete switch which can be turned off or on by hand, with a single movement. Read the fact sheet about trigger nozzles
Vehicle	Vehicles include cars, trucks, trailers, caravans, motorcycles and boats.
Water theft	Water theft is illegally taking water from the Sydney Water system. Examples of water theft include: Tampering with a water meter By-passing a water meter so that the water supply becomes unmetered Using an unmetered supply of water, for example using a standpipe that does not have a meter.
Watering System	A watering system is a fixed or permanent system having either single or multiple watering zones and is controlled by a manual tap, electronic or mechanical timer. Watering systems (other than drip irrigation systems) are not permitted at any time.