Using water outdoors do's and don'ts

Water is a precious resource. There are easy habits you can adopt, as well as things to avoid when using water outdoors.

Here are some things you can do when using water outdoors:

• Test your irrigation for up to 2 minutes on your watering days before 9am or after 6pm. You can test your irrigation system following black-outs, repairs or installation.
• Check your hose nozzle isn’t leaking. Buying a few hose washers at a time to have on hand can make it easier to repair nozzle leaks.
• Hand water your garden and lawn. There are no restrictions on hand watering, you can use a watering can or hand-held hose on any day of the week.
• Fill up a bucket of water to wash your car, and make sure to park on the lawn first. This way your lawn can soak up all the precious water that would otherwise run on to the road.
• Top up your swimming pool. To avoid an overflow, set a timer on your phone to remind you to turn off the hose. 
• Top up a pond or fountain. Use a timer to avoid overflow.

High pressure hoses and high pressure washers

Modern high pressure hoses and high pressure cleaners use 6-7 litres of water per minute. A standard garden hose uses 25 litres per minute. The high pressure, low flow rate makes them ideal for saving water outdoors. Use a high pressure hose or washer to:

• Clean outdoor paving and tiles
• Wash windows
• Wash your car, boat or caravan
• Clean brick walls

Things to avoid when using water outdoors:

• Using your sprinklers/ irrigation on your lawns and garden outside of your watering days. Find your watering days.
• Using your hose to clean your driveway.
• Using a high-pressure hose or water cleaner. While we don't recommend high pressure hoses, modern high pressure hoses and high pressure cleaners that use 6-7 litres of water per minute are water efficient enough to use. Please look out for the waterwise logo to ensure you're purchasing a water efficient hose.
• Using water slides that requires a hose connection outside of your watering roster.