Watering exemptions
You can apply for a watering exemption if you are installing a new garden or new lawn, including roll-on lawn, runners, shredded lawn and seed.
An exemption will allow you to water your lawn or garden outside the watering roster, to help it establish.
Both manual and automatic irrigation qualify for an exemption. You can also apply for an exemption if you have a garden bore.
Please be mindful that you will be charged for the extra water you use with a watering exemption. The additional water use will result in a higher water bill and will impact the water usage for your billing year, not just the billing period.
Watering more often to establish a new lawn or garden without a watering exemption is considered a sprinkler breach and can result in an infringement.
When to apply:
- Watering exemptions commence on the day the lawn or garden is installed.
- Only apply for a water exemption on the day your lawn or garden is installed, this ensures that you get the full length of the exemption.
- If you have already installed your lawn or garden you can still apply, we will provide an exemption for the remainder of the period from the date of installation.
Depending on the time of year, you will be granted one of the following exemptions:
1 October – 31 March
If your exemption is granted during spring and summer then you are able to water for up to 42 days from the day of planting.
We recommend that you water your new lawn or garden with 10mm of water a day.
Recommended watering schedule:
| Days | Amount | Frequency | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-10 | 3.5mm | 3 x daily | Before 9am, at 12 noon & at 3pm |
| 11-20 | 5mm | 2 x daily | Before 9am and at 3pm |
| 21-28 | 10mm | 1 x daily | Before 9am |
| 29-42 | 10mm | Every second day | Before 9am |
1 April – 30 September
If your exemption is granted during autumn and winter then you are able to water for up to 35 days from the day of planting.
We recommend that you water your new lawn or garden with 7.5mm of water a day.
Recommended watering schedule:
| Days | Amount | Frequency | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-14 | 4mm | 2 x daily | Before 9am & at 2pm |
| 15-28 | 7.5mm | 1 x daily | Before 9am |
| 29-35 | 7.5mm | Every second day | Before 9am |
Exemption conditions
- Random inspections may occur. If you don't comply with the exemption conditions you risk a $500 fine.
- The breach will be the responsibility of the property owner not the person who installed the lawn, plants and irrigation system.
- All exemptions cease after the approved exemption period calculated from the date your new lawn and/or garden was installed. Normal watering rosters apply after this date.
- At the end of the exemption period the settings on your irrigation controller must be amended according to the sprinkler roster for your area.
Other exemptions
We don't grant exemptions for properties with a licensed bore as these are managed by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation. Please contact the department on 1800 508 885 (option 1) if you have a licensed bore and would like to apply for an exemption.
We don't grant exemptions for Aqwest or Busselton Water Board. Please contact your supplier directly if you would like to apply for an exemption.
You can water indoor plants including those in glasshouses through efficient irrigation practices. For example, for many glasshouse plants, the use of a mist spray for up to one minute four times a day is satisfactory.
If you have an aviary you are allowed to put your sprinklers on to cool down birds in their cages.
A person, during the course of employment in the turf, garden and landscaping industries, can apply 10mm of water immediately after the application of fertilisers, wetting agents or vertimowing.
This exemption is not available to general customers who are expected to carry out these activities and watering on their allocated day and within the allowed times.
A person can use water to the minimum extent necessary for firefighting or training for firefighting.