Water Wise Guidelines

Mandatory mindful water use

Even though elevated water restrictions aren't in place yet, we must never waste the drinking water from our water systems. Everyone must follow our mandatory rules of water use every day year round to help save water across Greater Sydney.
 

These rules apply to everyone in Greater Sydney

• Using drinking water for watering gardens and lawns is permitted before 10am and after 4pm. There are 3 permitted watering methods: hand-held hose with an instant on-off mechanism (such as a trigger nozzle), sprinklers or watering systems.
• Smart watering systems or drip irrigation systems may be used between 10am and 4pm.
• Cleaning hard surfaces like paths, driveways, concrete or other paved areas with water is not permitted unless necessary for safety, health or emergency reasons, construction activity or surface contamination.
• Hoses and taps must never be left running unattended.
• Fire hoses must never be used for anything other than firefighting.
• Water run-off or overspray onto hard surfaces like pathways isn't permitted.
• If we've given you a notice to fix a leak, you must do it by the deadline we've set.

Special circumstances and exclusions

The guidelines allow flexibility for residents and businesses in a range of circumstances.
 

New turf and gardens

You can use drinking water anytime for 28 days after your turf is laid or your garden is planted. However, this must be according to the care instructions provided by the supplier, installer or care professional.

Water run-off or overspray onto hard surfaces such as pathways isn't permitted.
 

Commercial water use

Certain non-residential customers are permitted to use a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, sprinklers or other watering systems at any time:

• commercial retail nurseries, commercial plant growers, market gardeners, landscapers, mobile garden contractors and people responsible for maintaining community lawns or gardens, sports or racing surfaces
• commercial water slide operators (fixed or mobile), or commercial or municipal recreational facilities that use water as an integral part of operations (such as water play parks).
   

Health, hygiene and safety

You're permitted to use drinking water anytime to:

• cool people or animals, or for animal husbandry purposes
• clean paths, driveways, concrete or other paved areas, but only when cleaning with water is necessary due to safety, health, emergency, construction activity (including resurfacing) or surface contamination requirements.

You must use a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle unless it supplies high-pressure water cleaning equipment.
 

External cleaning

You're permitted to use drinking water anytime to wash building structures, including windows, walls, gutters and roofing.

You must use a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle unless it's used to supply high-pressure water cleaning equipment.
 

Vehicles and boats

You're permitted to use drinking water anytime to:

• wash vehicles or vessels of any type using a bucket and sponge (or similar), a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle or high-pressure water-cleaning equipment, or at a commercial washing facility
• flush inboard or outboard boat engines using a hose fitted with an appropriate flushing device – the water supply must be turned off immediately when flushing to manufacturer specifications is complete
• clean bilges or essential safety components on boat trailers, including wheels and brakes, using a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle or high-pressure water cleaning equipment
• fill fixed water tanks or water-soluble chemical tanks in vehicles or vessels using a hand-held hose – someone must be present when these tanks are being filled
• rinse a vessel at a public boat ramp or marina immediately after being used in salt water using a hand-held hose with a trigger nozzle or high-pressure water cleaning equipment – maximum 10 minutes per vessel.
   

Swimming pools and spas

You're permitted to use drinking water to:

• top up the water level in a pool or spa to replace water lost through normal use conditions including evaporation, or lost due to firefighting and related purposes
• fill a new or renovated pool or spa.

Water run-off or overspray onto hard surfaces such as pathways isn't permitted.
 

Construction

You're permitted to use drinking water for:

• dust suppression, but only where no alternative water source is reasonably available – where a dust incident involves hazardous dust (such as asbestos), water use must comply with applicable incident response guidelines for the specific hazardous substance involved
• the normal and safe operation of pipe jetting, cutting, drilling and tunnelling equipment – someone must be present at all times.

You can use bore water, recycled water or rainwater anytime, but only if the tank used for storage hasn't been topped up from our drinking water system.
 

Firefighting and public health

You're permitted to use drinking water at any time for public health, fire service testing, firefighting and related purposes, hazard reduction or other essential activities.