Watering exemptions for community gardens

If you manage or plan to establish a community garden which is a productive garden where people come together to grow food then you can apply for an exemption from the sprinkler roster that applies to your area.

A community garden is defined as a garden that:

• Is managed by a community group and/or a not-for-profit organisation
• Involves the participation of the wider community and/or a specific community (e.g. retirement village) in the day to day operation of the garden
• Includes growing fruit, vegetables and herbs as primary activities

A community garden does not include a productive garden at a school. These gardens may be hand watered daily but the normal sprinkler roster applies.

How to apply

The community garden manager needs to call 13 10 39 and will be required to provide the following information:

• The address of the community garden
• Their name, telephone details and email address
• The name of the person responsible for watering the community garden
• If the community garden uses a bore or scheme water
• The Waterwise design features incorporated in the community garden
• The date the exemption is requested to commence

Exemption conditions

For community gardens south of and including Kalbarri and Kalgoorlie

• Between 1 September and 31 May you will be allowed to water the garden every day.
• From 1 June to 31 August you will only be allowed to water it 3 days per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays if required to maintain healthy plant growth.
• The amount of water applied daily must not exceed 10mm.
• Sprinklers must only be run once on any of these given days and is not permitted to be on between 9am and 6pm.
• Drip irrigation can be run twice on any of these given days provided that the total daily application amount does not exceed 10mm.

For community gardens north of and including Kalbarri and Kalgoorlie

• An irrigation system can be used every day in these community gardens through the year if required to maintain healthy plant growth.
• The amount of water applied daily must not exceed 20mm.
• Sprinklers must only be run once on any of these given days and is not permitted to be on between 9am and 6pm.
• Drip irrigation can be run twice on any of these given days provided that the total daily application amount does not exceed 20mm.

Licensed bore owners should contact the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation on 
(08) 6364 7600 to discuss this exemption under the conditions of their licence.