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Water restrictions
Trigger nozzle hoses
Sydney Water residential customers can now wash cars, boats, caravans, trucks, trailers and other vehicles at their home with a hose as long as a trigger nozzle is fitted. Residents may also clean the windows and walls of homes with a hose as long as a trigger nozzle is fitted. There are no other changes to restrictions. The current business exemptions that apply to vehicles remain in place.
Watering new plants
Exemptions have changed so residents can use a hose with a trigger nozzle to water-in new plants.
This applies on any day before 10am and after 4pm for a period of 28 days after purchase (providing a
receipt can be shown on request).
Find out more.
Current restrictions are now:
- Hand-held hosing of lawns and gardens and drip irrigation is allowed only on Wednesdays and Sundays before 10 am and after 4 pm
- Hosing of vehicles at residential premises is permitted only with a trigger nozzle or high-pressure water cleaning equipment (to a maximum of 10L/minute)
- Hosing residential building structures including windows, walls and gutters is allowed using a hose with a trigger nozzle or high-pressure water cleaning equipment (to a maximum of 10L/minute)
- No hosing of hard surfaces such as paths or driveways at any time
- No other watering systems or sprinklers are to be used at any time
- A permit from Sydney Water is required to fill new or renovated pools bigger than 10,000 litres
- No hoses or taps to be left running unattended, except when filling pools or containers
Recycled water, bore water and water used for testing fire systems, fire fighting and related activities are excluded from restrictions.
A fine of $220 applies for all breaches of restrictions by individuals. Corporations face a fine of $550 for each breach. The fine for water theft is $2,200.
The following permitted at any time:
- use a hose with a trigger nozzle to clean cars, boats, boat engines, caravans and houses
- use a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle to water-in new plants. This applies on any day before 10am and after 4pm for a period of 28 days after purchase (providing a receipt can be shown on request)
- water your garden using a watering can or bucket at any time
- top up an existing a pool
- fill a pool less than 10,000 litres capacity
- use water from a rainwater tank, as long as it is not topped up from Sydney Water’s supply.
Find out more about future changes to restrictions
The NSW Government has announced that in the future there will be changes to introduce long-term water saving rules.
Level 3 mandatory water restrictions continue to apply until further notice to all Sydney Water customers including residents, businesses, local councils and government agencies.
