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30 Sep 2007
The world-beating water saving efforts of South East Queensland residents have been recognised with a reprieve from a total outdoor watering ban in draft Level 6 restrictions announced today.
Residents will continue to be able to bucket their gardens under Draft Level 6 restrictions, as long as we keep average consumption across the region below 140 litres per person per day.
“It’s only fair that we recognise the quite remarkable effort the community has made in beating Target 140 for the last 4 months,” said Water Commission Chair Elizabeth Nosworthy.
“Dams are still only just over 20 per cent and the drought has definitely not broken.
“We’re not out of the woods yet and if people take their foot off the brake and start using more than 140 litres a day we will have to look at bringing in the outdoor watering ban.”
“The challenge now is to keep under Target 140 through the hot months of summer.”
The intention to hold off on the ban follows QWC’s consultation with the nursery industry and recognises the need to maintain jobs in that sector.
“Target 140 is so important because it not only helps people that love their garden, it helps us avoid further restrictions which impact on jobs in nurseries.”
Bucketing hours and existing hand-held hosing exemptions will not change from those under Level 5.
The only change for the residential sector proposed under draft Level 6 is:
pool owners must now provide proof the water used for filling new or renovated pools has come from outside South East Queensland
After receiving support from South East Queensland Councils, Level 6 will also see further measures to crackdown on excessive water usage in households.
An estimated 32 million litres per day has been saved under that scheme with three quarters of the original 79,000 households targeted reducing consumption to under 800 litres.
“Targeting excessive water users in this way has been a great success but some people still haven’t got the message,” Ms Nosworthy said.
“We’re delivering on our promise under Level 5 to bring in stiff penalties for those households still using excessive amounts of water without legitimate reason.”
Large households will be excluded if their “per person use” is not greater than 200 litres per person per day. Exemptions will also apply for special health reasons and if a leak has occurred and been fixed.
Under the Commission’s draft proposal, those penalties are:
First offence - $450 fine and an outdoor watering ban.
Repeat offenders - $1050 fines, outdoor water ban, flow restrictor for 30 days
Extra meter reads for houses using more than 2000 litres/day
“Most people are doing the right thing and saving water but they are rightly frustrated with the small minority who are, quite unfairly, refusing to change their water wasting ways in the middle of this drought,” Ms Nosworthy said.
The QWC is now consulting with councils about when this program will come into effect.
http://www.qwc.qld.gov.au/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=160
The world-beating water saving efforts of South East Queensland residents have been recognised with a reprieve from a total outdoor watering ban in draft Level 6 restrictions announced today.
Residents will continue to be able to bucket their gardens under Draft Level 6 restrictions, as long as we keep average consumption across the region below 140 litres per person per day.
“It’s only fair that we recognise the quite remarkable effort the community has made in beating Target 140 for the last 4 months,” said Water Commission Chair Elizabeth Nosworthy.
“Dams are still only just over 20 per cent and the drought has definitely not broken.
“We’re not out of the woods yet and if people take their foot off the brake and start using more than 140 litres a day we will have to look at bringing in the outdoor watering ban.”
“The challenge now is to keep under Target 140 through the hot months of summer.”
The intention to hold off on the ban follows QWC’s consultation with the nursery industry and recognises the need to maintain jobs in that sector.
“Target 140 is so important because it not only helps people that love their garden, it helps us avoid further restrictions which impact on jobs in nurseries.”
Bucketing hours and existing hand-held hosing exemptions will not change from those under Level 5.
The only change for the residential sector proposed under draft Level 6 is:
pool owners must now provide proof the water used for filling new or renovated pools has come from outside South East Queensland
After receiving support from South East Queensland Councils, Level 6 will also see further measures to crackdown on excessive water usage in households.
An estimated 32 million litres per day has been saved under that scheme with three quarters of the original 79,000 households targeted reducing consumption to under 800 litres.
“Targeting excessive water users in this way has been a great success but some people still haven’t got the message,” Ms Nosworthy said.
“We’re delivering on our promise under Level 5 to bring in stiff penalties for those households still using excessive amounts of water without legitimate reason.”
Large households will be excluded if their “per person use” is not greater than 200 litres per person per day. Exemptions will also apply for special health reasons and if a leak has occurred and been fixed.
Under the Commission’s draft proposal, those penalties are:
First offence - $450 fine and an outdoor watering ban.
Repeat offenders - $1050 fines, outdoor water ban, flow restrictor for 30 days
Extra meter reads for houses using more than 2000 litres/day
“Most people are doing the right thing and saving water but they are rightly frustrated with the small minority who are, quite unfairly, refusing to change their water wasting ways in the middle of this drought,” Ms Nosworthy said.
The QWC is now consulting with councils about when this program will come into effect.
http://www.qwc.qld.gov.au/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=160
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