We have now moved from Target 140 to Target 170 (high level restrictions), which allows household residents to use slightly more water.

Under the new restrictions you can:

• Wash a car
• Clean down part of the house
• Clean off building materials or equipment
• Water your garden and your plants. 

You can’t:

• Water your lawn
• Hose hard surfaces like pavements, pathways and driveways.

Excessive water users

Tough penalties will apply for households using excessive amounts of water if they don’t reduce their consumption. This includes an outdoor watering ban, fines up to $1050 and restricted flows. Households with a legitimate reason for high water use will be exempt. Read more

Check for leaks

One dripping tap can waste 2 000 litres of water every month so check for leaks. To check for leaks, turn off your water meter for a few hours and then turn on an read the meter for a second time. It will be obvious that you have a leak if the water reading has increased. You can fix dripping taps by changing washers, but you will need to call a plumber to fix a more serious leak.