Stage two water restrictions have taken effect today to minimise water usage within metropolitan Melbourne. Water is increasingly become a scare resource and stage two restrictions are necessary to preserve our decreasing supplies.

In particular, stage two restrictions include the following (source Yarra Valley Water):

Residential Gardens:

• Manual watering systems (the kind you turn on or off by hand) can only be used to water gardens between 6am – 8am and 8pm – 10pm on alternate days.
• Automatic watering systems (the kind you set to turn on and off automatically) can only be used to water gardens between midnight – 4am on alternate days.
• Hand-held hoses fitted with a trigger nozzle can be used at any time to water gardens. Hosing down driveways, paths, concrete and paved areas is not permitted.

Public Gardens:

• Manual watering systems (that you turn on or off by hand) can only be used to water gardens between 6am-10am and 8pm-midnight on alternate days.
• Automatic watering systems (that turn themselves on and off) can only be used to water gardens between midnight-8am on alternate days.
• Hand-held hoses with a trigger nozzle, a bucket or watering can may be used at any time on garden beds only.

Vehicle washing:

• Hand-held hoses cannot be used any time for vehicle washing. A bucket, watering can, high pressure cleaning device or commercial car wash can be used.

Pools and Spas:

• Before filling a new pool or spa of 2000 litres capacity or more, owners must submit a water conservation plan and have it approved by their government water authority.
  This plan must show how the volume of water required to fill the pool or spa will be, or has been, offset by water saved around the home.
• A hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, a bucket or a watering can may be used to top up an existing pool or spa.
• To fill or top up a new or existing pool or spa with a capacity 2000 litres or less, a hand-held hose with a trigger nozzle, a watering can or a bucket must be used.

Water fountatins: Only water fountains that recirculate water can be operated. A fountain must not be filled or topped up.

The watering of lawns is not permitted under stage two restrictions.

Further details:

Alternate days means odd numbered houses can water on odd dates of the month and even numbered houses can water on even numbered dates.

Both odd and even numbered houses can water on the 31st of the month. Where there is no house number the property is considered an even numbered house.

For further information please visit the Yarra Valley Water website (http://www.yvw.com.au/)