Level 5 water restrictions

Level 5 water restrictions with three day-zero triggers for residential water targets will be introduced in the Armidale from Tuesday 1 October.

Council has a day-zero for our water supply in Malpas Dam running out. Based on our current usage day-zero will be in approximately 427 days or November 2020. Three triggers to day-zero with reduced per person daily water consumption targets will sit alongside level 5 restrictions.

Residential target water consumption is 160 litres per person per day.

The following restrictions apply to the use of water supplied through the water reticulation system in the Armidale Regional Council area:

Activity	Level 5 - Trigger 1
Residential
Garden sprinklers and fixed hoses	Banned at all times
Hand held hoses, drip irrigation	Banned at all times
Buckets/cans to water gardens and lawns	Banned at all times (except recycled water e.g. laundry or shower water)
Vehicle washing	Buckets for windscreen, windows, number plates and mirrors only. Emergency Service vehicles  excepted.
Washing down hard surfaces	Banned at all times
Filling or topping up private swimming pools, spas or ornamental ponds	Banned at all times
Cleaning of rubbish bins, tools and related equipment including animal enclosures/kennels	Cleaning for health and safety purposes only. Allowed at any time using water efficient means.
Outdoor showers	Banned at all times
Commercial & Industrial
Cleaning vehicles at truckwash	Restricted operating hours.
Building and construction	Use of town water for dust suppression on construction sites is not permitted. Other uses of town water on construction sites require an application for an exemption.
Road construction and maintenance	Use of town water not permitted.  Use alternative water source as appropriate.
Water carting (No water carting outside Armidale Regional Local Government Area)	No carting by commercial carters from Guyra’s water supply. Small volumes of water can be carted from Armidale at Council’s new filling station at  the Arboretum.
Nurseries	Buckets or water can only
Automatic flush toilets	On demand only, no automatic timers

Council will be in contact with businesses to assist in implementing a Water Saving Action Plan. This will include a free audit, access to a business rebate scheme (Major water users only), water saving promotional pack and ongoing support in reducing water consumption.

Exemptions previously issued by Council are no longer valid under level 5. You MUST resubmit an exemption form which is available online or at Council’s Customer Service Centres at 135 Rusden St, Armidale or 158 Bradley St. Guyra