Amid all the reports about La Nina and the breaking of the drought across much of Australia, the story is much different in Orange, where level 5 water restrictions have been announced as the local dam levels are now below the 30% threshold.
Back in November last year, the Orange City Council, at the time it announced that level 4 restrictions were coming into force, said it would go to level 5 if dam levels dropped below 30%. Six months later, the unthinkable has happened.
According to the Central Western Daily, which called the situation “an unprecedented water emergency,” the restrictions, which take effect on 11 May, are aimed at cutting water usage from 225 litres to 120 litres
per day per person, one of the most ambitious water reduction targets in the
country.
The restrictions mean that outdoor watering of plants will only be able to take place between 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Sundays. Watering lawns, installing turf, washing cars and topping up or filling domestic swimming pools and external spas are all banned.
Fines for failing to comply with the new water restrictions crange from on-the-spot fines of $220 up to $2000.
Do you live in or around Orange? How is this going to affect you? What if you’re in the nursery or turf business? Please add your comments. And if anyone would like to write an article for OurPatch offering your first-hand experience of how this will impact on your community, please contact me at rayw@ourpatch.com.au .
Ray Welling, Managing Editor, OurPatch
