Using water outdoors do's and don'ts

Water is a valuable resource. There are easy habits you can adopt, as well as things to avoid when using water outdoors.

Here are some things you can do when using water outdoors:

• Test your irrigation for up to 2 minutes on your watering days before 9am or after 6pm. You can test your irrigation system following black-outs, repairs or installation. 
• Use a tap timer or trigger nozzle on your garden hose and be sure to check for leaks. 
• Hand water your garden and lawn. There are no restrictions on hand watering, you can use a watering can or hand-held hose on any day of the week.
• Fill up a bucket of water to wash your car, and make sure to park on the lawn first. This way your lawn can soak up all the valuable water that would otherwise run on to the road.
• Top up your swimming pool. To avoid an overflow, set a timer on your phone to remind you to turn off the hose. We recommend using a pool or spa cover to reduce water loss through evaporation.

Things to avoid when using water outdoors:

• Using your sprinklers/ irrigation on your lawns and garden outside of your watering days. Find your watering days.
• Using your hose to clean your driveway or paving. We recommend using a broom. 
• Leaving a hose running unattended. 
• Using water slides that requires a hose connection outside of your watering roster.

High pressure water cleaners and pressure washers

High pressure water cleaners or pressure washers may be appropriate to use in some circumstances. Modern high pressure water cleaners and pressure washers use 6-7 litres of water per minute. A standard garden hose uses 25 litres per minute. The high pressure, low flow rate is a much more efficient use of water when it is needed for specific purposes.