From time to time council changes water restrictions to manage sustainable urban water supply. Restriction levels are communicated on a range from zero to four, with zero being the lowest and four the highest restriction level. The level for individual towns is based on a number of indicators, including the capacity and level of the towns’ water supply and detailed in the Water Restrictions Procedure.
The restrictions do not apply to greywater, rainwater or private bore water and properties with their own water allocation or licences.
Town | Restriction level | Date | Water supply source |
---|---|---|---|
Anakie, Rubyvale, Sapphire | 0 | 17/07/2020 | Bore |
Capella | 0 | 17/07/2020 | Capella Creek & Tieri pipeline |
Comet | 0 | 17/07/2020 | Comet River, Comet Weir |
Dingo | 0 | 17/07/2020 | Dingo/ Springton Creek |
Duaringa | 0 | 17/07/2020 | Dawson River Lower Dawson scheme/ SunWater |
Emerald, Blackwater, Bluff | 0 | 24/03/2021 | Fairbairn Dam, Selma/ Emerald town weir Nogoa Mackenzie scheme SunWater |
Rolleston | 0 | 17/07/2020 | Comet River & semi-artesian bore |
Springsure | 0 | 17/07/2020 | Semi-artesian bore |
Tieri | 1 | 21/12/2020 | Fairbairn Dam, Bedford Weir Nogoa Mackenzie scheme SunWater |
Find watering times and methods for various uses. Please note this information is a guide. For official reference, please refer to the Water Restrictions Levels Table Extract.
No restrictions.
No restrictions.
No restrictions.
Hoses must be fitted with a trigger control nozzle for cleaning vehicles by hand.
No restrictions.
No restrictions.
No restrictions.
No restrictions.
No restriction.
No restrictions.
Water must not be used without written permission.
Garden beds and shrubs
Lawns
No restrictions.
Water must not be used to clean paved areas unless cleaning is required as a result of an accident, fire, health hazard or other emergencies.
Water must not be used to clean windows except using –
Water must not be used to clean vehicles except using –
Water must not be used to clean vehicles except using –
Water must not be used to clean vehicles except using
Existing ponds can only be topped up to their normal level and only using handheld hoses or using watering cans or buckets filled directly from taps.
Fountains must not operate unless they recycle water.
Water lost from fountains must not be replaced except using hand-held hoses or using watering cans or buckets filled directly from a tap.
Existing swimming pools and spas must not be topped up except using hand-held hoses or using watering cans or buckets filled directly from taps.
Mobile water tankers must not be filled except
Farm dams and tanks must not be topped up except
Unless otherwise exempted by the Authority in writing, hoses must not be used except trigger hoses.
Water must not be used without written permission
Garden beds and shrubs
Lawns
No restrictions.
Water must not be used to clean paved areas unless cleaning is required as a result of an accident, fire, health hazard or other emergencies.
Water must not be used to clean windows except using –
Water must not be used to clean vehicles except using
Water must not be used to clean vehicles except using
Water must not be used to clean vehicles except using
Newly constructed ponds must not be filled for the first time without the written permission of the Authority.
Existing ponds can only be topped up to their normal level and only using hand-held hoses or using watering cans or buckets filled directly from taps.
Fountains must not operate unless they recycle water.
Water lost from fountains must not be replaced.
Mobile water tankers must not be filled except
Farm dams and tanks must not be topped up except
Unless otherwise exempted by the Authority in writing, hoses must not be used except trigger hoses.
Water must not be used without written permission
Garden beds and shrubs
Lawns
Water must not be used to clean paved areas unless cleaning is required as a result of an accident, fire, health hazard or other emergencies.
Water must not be used to clean windows except using a bucket or watering filled directly from a tap.
Water must not be used to clean vehicles except using
Water must not be used to clean vehicles except using
Water must not be used to clean vehicles except using
Newly constructed ponds must not be filled.
Existing ponds can only be topped up to their normal level and only using watering cans or buckets filled directly from taps.
Fountains must not operate without written permission.
Mobile water tankers must not be filled except
Farm dams and tanks must not be topped up except
Unless otherwise exempted by the Authority in writing, hoses must not be used except trigger hoses.
Water must not be used without written permission
Garden beds and shrubs
Lawns must not be watered at any time.
Water must not be used to clean paved areas unless cleaning is required as a result of an accident, fire, health hazard or other emergencies.
Water must not be used to clean windows.
Water must not be used to clean vehicles unless cleaning is required for health or safety reasons. Cleaning for health and safety reasons must be undertaken using
Water must not be used to clean vehicles except using watering cans or buckets filled directly from taps.
Water must not be used to clean vehicles except using
Existing ponds sustaining fish or birdlife can only be topped up to their normal level and only using watering cans or buckets filled directly from a tap.
Other ponds must not be topped up or filled.
Fountains must not operate without written permission.
Mobile water tankers must not be filled except
Farm dams and tanks must not be topped up except
Unless otherwise exempted by the Authority in writing, hoses must not be used except trigger hoses.
Water must not be used without written permission
How are water restriction levels determined?
The level of Fairbairn Dam near Emerald is used as an indicator for water restrictions because it is connected to the Nogoa Mackenzie water scheme that Emerald, Blackwater, Bluff and Tieri rely on for their water supply.
Rolleston gets its water from the Comet River. It’s water restrictions are determined by the capacity of the Ring Tank.
Capella is supplied with water from three sources – a system of bores, surface water runoff, water that is harvested from Capella Creek during times of flood flows and from a drought relief pipeline that was constructed from Tieri.
Its restrictions are determined by the capacity of the water storage facilities.
What is the current level of the Fairbairn Dam?
You can check the current level of the dam by visiting the Sunwater website.
How does the council get its water?
Every year on 1 July, the council is allocated an amount of water to use to supply the community from the Fairbairn Dam by SunWater.
If I pay rates, don’t I have the right to use water?
Owners of property connected to the water supply pay an annual charge and a consumption charge.
The annual charge is the cost for the council to provide water to the property whether or not any water is actually used.
The consumption charge is calculated from the amount of water actually used at the property.
How important is the community water supply?
Supplying water for people to use is what is referred to as ‘high priority’.
Other high priority water users are an industry that is vital to the economy of the state and region—employs a lot of people and earns money for the state—such as coal mines.
Am I an odd or even-numbered property?
Whether you are an ‘even’ or ‘odd’ numbered property influences your watering days.
Property addresses are categorised as ‘even’ if:
The same guidelines apply to categorise ‘odd-numbered’ properties (swap the word ‘even’ for the word ‘odd’).
What is the council doing to save water?
The council has reduced its use of water on parks, gardens and playing fields considerably.
A water-use monitoring system has been implemented requiring monthly water-use reports to be submitted to the council for each facility being watered.
What about the Emerald Botanic Gardens?
The Emerald Botanic Gardens is a public park of regional significance.
It is enjoyed by hundreds of people every day and is a wonderful oasis for residents and tourists.
As such, the botanic gardens, which is watered with raw water from the Nogoa River, will have watering reduced in some parts, but will be maintained in the best condition possible given the circumstances.
What is more important – a coal mine or a town?
They are both equally important. Coal mines employ many people who live in nearby towns.
Without the town water, there would be no people to work in the mines and without the mines, there would be many fewer people to live in the town.
This is why the council and industries that share the water work closely together to make sure the water supply is secure.
What are industries like mining and cotton farming doing to save water?
Water supply to industries and crop farming is managed by Sunwater.
Sunwater works closely with their customers, including council, industries and farmers, to carefully manage water allocation to support ongoing water security and business confidence.
Remember, these companies and their employees are a part of our community too and recognise the need to conserve water.
How many water restriction levels are there?
There are five water restriction levels (0,1,2,3 and 4) in the Central Highlands.
Do I need to have a sign on the front fence if I’m watering lawns with greywater or tanks?
While not mandatory, it is a good idea to have a sign, so others are aware.
Can I install a water tank?
Yes, please visit our rainwater tank information page and give our plumbing team a call on 1300 242 686.
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