Skip to main content
search
Water For Life wordmark

  PERMANENT WATER SAVING STANDARDS ARE NOW IN PLACE

Restrictions Explained

Permanent Standards ~ CURRENT

80% of total storage capacity

LAWNS AND RESIDENTIAL GARDENS

  • Watering systems, non fixed sprinklers, hand held hoses, microsprays, drip systems, soaker hoses permitted only
  • Between 6.00am – 9.00am, 6.00pm – 9.00pm (During Daylight Saving period)
  • Under the  Odds and Evens system, if the street number of your property is odd(eg: 173 Smith Street), you can water on odd dates of the month, alternatively, if the street number of your property is even (eg: 22 Stuart Street), you can water on even dates

IRRIGATION OF NEW TURF

  • Permitted for one week after laying after which permanent savings standards on watering lawns applies

 WATER FEATURES

  • Filling garden water features and topping up – permitted

FIRST FILL AND TOPPING UP OF SWIMMING POOLS/SPAS

  • Only between hours of 7.00am – 9.00am and 6.00pm – 8.00pm every day

WASHING DOWN WALLS OR PAVED SURFACES

  • Washing of walls, paved areas or any hard surfaces not permitted.
  • An annual clean opportunity when permitted by Council.

CHILDREN’S POOLS

  • Permitted

WASHING CARS AT HOME

  • Can wash with bucket and can rinse with a trigger hose permitted any day.

LEVEL 2

60% of total storage capacity

LAWNS AND RESIDENTIAL GARDENS

  • Watering systems, non fixed sprinklers, hand held hoses, microsprays, drip systems, soaker hoses permitted only.
  • Between 7.00am – 10.00am, 4.00pm – 7.00pm. For more about changes to watering times , see this article.
  • Under the  Odds and Evens system, if the street number of your property is odd (eg: 173 Smith Street), you can water on odd dates of the month, alternatively, if the street number of your property is even (eg: 22 Stuart Street), you can water on even dates.

IRRIGATION OF NEW TURF

  • Permitted for one week after laying after which level 2 restriction on watering lawns applies

 WATER FEATURES

  • Filling garden water features and topping up – permitted.

FIRST FILL AND TOPPING UP OF SWIMMING POOLS/SPAS

  • Only between hours of 7.00am – 9.00am and 6.00pm – 8.00pm every day.

WASHING DOWN WALLS, PAVED SURFACES OR ANY HARD SURFACES

  • Not permitted

CHILDREN’S POOLS

  • Permitted

WASHING CARS AT HOME

  • Can wash with bucket and can rinse with a trigger hose, 9.00am – 12.00 noon any day

LEVEL 3

50% of total storage capacity

LAWNS

  • No sprinklers.
  • Only micro-sprays, drip systems, soaker hoses and hand-held hoses.
  • Limited daily hours, using odds & evens system.

RESIDENTIAL GARDENS

  • No sprinklers.
  • Only micro-sprays, drip systems, soaker hoses and hand-held hoses.
  • Limited daily hours, using odds & evens system for a maximum of three hours, every other day, morning and night:7am – 10am4pm – 7pm
  • How the odds & evens system works: If your house’s street number is an even number then you can water on the even days of the month, the 2nd, 4th, 6th etc. If your house in an odd number, then you can water on the odd days of the month, the 1st, 3rd, 5th etc.

WATER FEATURES

  • They can be topped  and filled.

NEW TURF

  • Watering permitted for one week, then same restrictions as for other lawn watering.

SWIMMING POOLS

  • Pool covers must be used. Topping up only between 7am-9am and 6pm-8pm any day.

POP-UP CHILDREN’S POOLS

  • May be used.

WASHING CARS AT HOME

  • Washing cars with bucket only on lawn from 9am to 12 noon any day.

BATHS AND SHOWERS

  • No restriction.

WASHING MACHINES

  • Suggested full loads only.

EVAPORATIVE COOLERS

  • Yes.

LEVEL 4

40% of total storage capacity

LAWNS

  • No watering.

RESIDENTIAL GARDENS

  • No sprinklers.
  • Only micro-sprays, drip systems, soaker hoses.  Limited daily hours, two days a week only (Wednesdays & Sundays 7am to 9am and  4pm-6pm).
  • One hand-held hose with a trigger-nozzle for up to half an hour on those two days.

WATER FEATURES

  • They can be topped up.

NEW TURF

  • No.

SWIMMING POOLS

  • Pool covers must be used. Topping up only between 7am-9am and 6pm-8pm any day.

POP-UP CHILDREN’S POOLS

  • May be used.

WASHING CARS AT HOME

  • Washing cars with bucket only on lawn from 9am to 12 noon any day.

BATHS AND SHOWERS

  • Suggested limit of 5 minute shower. One bath per day.

WASHING MACHINES

  • Full loads only.

EVAPORATIVE COOLERS

  • Only to be used 7am to midnight daily.

LEVEL 5

30% of total storage capacity

LAWNS

  • No watering.

RESIDENTIAL GARDENS

  • No sprinklers, micro-sprays or soaker hoses.
  • Buckets, watering cans and drip systems permitted during one-hour weekly watering period. One-hour watering period can only happen on Sundays. 7 am to 9 am Sunday mornings or 4 pm to 6 pm Sunday evenings
  • One hand-held hose with a trigger-nozzle for up to half an hour during that period.

WATER FEATURES

  • No.

HARD SURFACES

  • No washing of hard surfaces.

NEW TURF

  • No.

SWIMMING POOLS

  • No topping up.

POP-UP CHILDREN’S POOLS

  • No.

WASHING CARS AT HOME

  • No.

BATHS AND SHOWERS

  • Suggested limit of 3 minute shower. One shallow bath per day.

WASHING MACHINES

  • Full loads only.

EVAPORATIVE COOLERS

  • Only to be used 7am to midnight daily.

Please note that restrictions also apply to those with access to a purple tap.

KEY ELEMENTS OF LEVEL 3 (HIGH) WATER RESTRICTIONS

  • Watering gardens and lawns is permitted using micro-sprays and soakers during three hour periods every other day using the odds and evens system (3 hours morning and 3 hours evening, every other day)
  • During those two periods, hand-held hoses with a trigger-nozzle limited to one hour
  • Watering systems and non fixed sprinklers not permitted
  • Watering periods are 0700-1000 and 1800-2100
  • Council permission required for first fill of swimming pool, topping-up of swimming pools permitted within limited watering period hours
  • Car washing at home permitted using bucket pressure hose
  • Irrigation of new turf permitted for one week, then Level 3 water restrictions apply

KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LEVEL 3 AND LEVEL 4

  • No watering lawns. Gardens only to be watered.
  • Using micro-sprays and soakers, moving from odds and evens watering days (2 hours morning and 2 hours evening, every other day) to 2 hours a day (evening only) on two days a week (Wed and Sun)
  • During those two periods, hand-held hoses with a trigger-nozzle limited to half an hour
  • Suggested time-limits on showers
  • No new turf installed

KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LEVEL 4 AND LEVEL 5

  • No sprinklers, micro-sprays, or soaker hoses.
  • Buckets, watering cans, drip system or a hand-held hose with a trigger nozzle for 30 minutes during limited hours. One hour a day on one day a week (Sunday only).
  • No topping up swimming pools
  • No washing cars at home

I'm a resident

Let's Go

I'M A BUSINESS OWNER

Let's Go

Residents

It’s important for the Orange community to use water responsibly. To help manage water use for the community, Orange City Council has Water Restrictions in place.

Water Usage

HOW MUCH WATER ARE WE USING?

This table shows the average daily water consumption of residential households (expressed in litres per person per day) in the Orange City Council area. The target water usage under Level 2 restrictions is 220 litres per person per day.

DAILY RESIDENTIAL WATER CONSUMPTION (LITRES PER PERSON PER DAY)

DateConsumption
23 March 2023184
16 March 2023185
9 March 2023172
2 March 2023185
23 February 2023174
16 February 2023181
9 February 2023187
2 February 2023178

How much water do we have stored?

Business Owners

WATER RESTRICTIONS AND WATER SAVINGS ACTION PLAN FOR BUSINESSES

Orange City Council seeks the cooperation of business operators with efforts to reduce our overall consumption of water. As a business you can use the Savings Action Plan Flow Chart to see if you can comply with the restrictions, and/or what next steps to take if you can’t comply. To work your way through the flow chart, you will need to know:

  • if you use water from the Orange town system
  • if you can comply with the water restrictions
  • if you operate a type of business which is on the list of ‘designated industries’.

Depending on these findings, you may need to:

  • Apply for an exemption from the restriction by completing an ‘Exemptions’ form, or
  • Look for ways to save water by completing a Water Savings Action Plan

Water Saving Action Plan   Water Saving Action Plan Flow Chart   Apply for an exemption

Orange City Council recognises that some types of business will generally use more water than others. A list of these designated business has been compiled so we can work with this businesses to try to reduce their consumption.

Designated business include: car washes, construction (concreting, bricklaying, painting, other building trades, subdivision development, road construction) commercial nurseries, motels, schools, health care, aged care, caravan parks, hotels and registered clubs, child care, food/pet food production, pet care, business with cooling towers, etc)

BUILDING INDUSTRY AND CONSTRUCTION

If you are working in the building industry or undertaking subdivision construction works, complete and submit the appropriate form below.

Water Saving Action Plan for Building Industry   Water Saving Action Plan for Subdivision Work

What can I do to save water?

Am I Eligible For An Exemption?

We acknowledge that in some circumstances, some residents or businesses can ask to be exempt from the current water restrictions. Those seeking to apply for an exemption from current water restrictions will need to complete this form. You will be notified of the result once request has been considered.

    Privacy Statement




    Latest News

    Suma Park Dam in 2018NewsWater
    February 22, 2023

    Community open to recycled water being part of the future water supply mix in Orange, survey shows

    Building on the success of Orange’s pioneering stormwater harvesting scheme, a new survey has found the Orange community is open to purified recycled water (PRW) being part of the city’s…
    Council Communications 0
    Love0
    NewsWater
    December 15, 2022

    New pipelines to upgrade water, sewer services near Lake Canobolas

    Work has begun on a new underground pipeline project which will lead to a significant improvement in Orange ‘s water and sewer network. (more…)
    Council Communications 0
    Love0
    NewsSustainabilityWater
    September 2, 2022

    Council to install more smart water meters to help residents track their water consumption

    Two thousand more smart water meters will be installed by Orange City Council this financial year, the most to be installed since the rollout of the new equipment began 18…
    Council Communications 1
    Love0
    NewsWater
    October 8, 2021

    Orange residents to enjoy two weekends for spring cleaning without water restrictions

    Orange residents will enjoy a two-weekend break from water restrictions following a decision at this week’s Council meeting. (more…)
    Council Communications 0
    Love0
    NewsWater
    September 14, 2021

    Smart water meters to reduce water loss across the city

    The rollout of smart water meters across the city has the potential to save millions of litres of wasted water each year. (more…)
    Council Media 0
    Love0
    NewsWater
    July 19, 2021

    Community celebrates as water overflows Suma Park dam wall

    In a long-awaited sign of recovery from the drought, water is flowing over the wall of Orange’s major water storage dam at Suma Park. (more…)
    Council Communications 0
    Love0
    Suma park Dam at 80 per cent fullNewsWater
    June 25, 2021

    Orange’s combined water storage hits significant trigger point

    For the first time since September 2017, Orange’s combined water storage hit 80 per cent, the trigger to enter a new phase of water saving standards. (more…)
    Council Communications 0
    Love0
    NewsWater
    April 27, 2021

    Cameras to expose hidden side of sewer network

    Orange City Council is using cameras down sewer pipes across the city to inspect the condition of the network. (more…)
    Council Communications 0
    Love0
    NewsStormwater HarvestingWaterWetlands
    April 16, 2021

    Two forums next week to keep community informed

    Orange City Council’s strategy of keeping the community informed about key decisions and projects takes another step forward when two information events will be held in the same week. (more…)
    Council Communications 0
    Love0