Further to our post last week, Sydney water restrictions have been implemented even sooner than expected. They will be in place from this Saturday, 1st June as part of the NSW government’s response to the ongoing drought, and will affect Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains and the Illawarra. This is the first time Sydney has faced water restrictions in a decade, with the last restrictions lifted in June 2009.
Water levels have been falling rapidly in Greater Sydney dams over the past two years. The combined water storage levels in Greater Sydney dams is currently 53.5% of capacity. Sydney Water commented last week that dam levels are “dropping faster than they have in decades”, and indeed “faster [in the last two years] than the average rate during the Millennium Drought.”
The Kurnell desalination plant has been up and running since January, when storage levels had fallen to 60%. It was expected that Sydney water restrictions would be implemented when this measure dropped below 50%. However, the NSW government has deemed it necessary to implement them immediately.
The NSW Water Minister, Melinda Pavey, said:
It’s vital we take early and decisive action. The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest forecast is predicting below-average rainfall and higher temperatures for June to August, which are key drivers of stronger water demand.
So be prepared Sydney! From Saturday, Sydney water restrictions will target your outdoor water usage, subject to fines. You won’t be allowed to water your lawns and gardens between 10am and 4pm, and even then, only if you have a trigger nozzle on your garden hose. You won’t be allowed to leave your sprinkler or drip system on, unless it has adjustable controls. You won’t be allowed to hose outdoor surfaces unless it’s an emergency. You will only be allowed to wash vehicles with a bucket, unless your garden hose has a trigger nozzle.
However, IF you are using rainwater, you will be exempt! With a rainwater tank, you have greater freedom to keep your garden green, and your driveway, paths and vehicles clean. Our opinion is that one of the greatest counters to water shortage problems is catching and saving it when we can, for later use when it’s less available. Since this drought is only predicted to worsen, why not invest in a rainwater tank today?
We manufacture a large range of quality, good looking rainwater tanks. These include round water tanks, slimline water tanks, underdeck water tanks, vertical underground tanks and more. We deliver throughout the Newcastle, Sydney, Illawarra, South Coast, Canberra and Southern Highlands regions. You can check out all of our tanks by viewing them here. Or, you can just download our latest catalogue. Contact us today to discuss your rainwater tank requirements. We would love to hear from you!
Did you like this article? You can sign up here to receive special offers, product updates and latest news to your inbox. Or, read more of our rainwater tanks articles here.
Like us on Facebook!