Residents urged to be mindful of water use

Published: 18 December 2020. (Note: information was correct at date of publication but may have since been changed or superseded.)

It’s hot and the expected rains have yet to eventuate.

While the dry weather is already taking its toll on lawns and gardens across the Cairns region, residents are being reminded to avoid excessive water use around their home or business.

“With children on school holidays, we know that they love to escape the summer heat with water play,” Mayor Bob Manning said.

“While we want children to have fun, we simply ask that residents be mindful of excessive water use at this time.

“Copperlode Dam is currently sitting just under 75 per cent and until we get some significant rainfall, we are likely to see it continue to fall by about one per cent (1%) each week.

“Residents should be congratulated for following of water restrictions thus far and we encourage them to continue doing so in order to prolong the need for further restrictions.”

Cr Manning said while there was no need for alarm, all residents should think about water use and avoid wasting this precious resource.

“We can be proactive in conserving our water by taking steps to minimise wastage. This will make sure there is plenty of water to go around if the dry conditions continue,” Cr Manning said.

Residents can easily save water around the home through small changes, such as:

Shorter showers – every minute saved in turn saves one bucket of water,Mulch gardens – this can decrease water loss by up to 70 per cent,Full loads only – washing machines and dishwashers use a significant amount of water per load, so avoid unnecessary cycles,Taps off – when brushing teeth or shaving, turn off the tap between rinses,Fix that leak – dripping taps can lead to big water wastage, andUse half-flush – save up to four buckets of water each flush.

Residents and businesses are also reminded that Level 1 water restrictions are in place to help save water in the garden.

Households can use a sprinkler up to three days a week from 6am-8am and 6pm-8pm, with days based on whether the house number is odd or even.

Odd-numbered houses can use sprinklers between the specified times on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, while even-numbered homes can water on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

No sprinkler use permitted on Monday. Hand-held hoses with a trigger nozzle, watering cans and buckets can be used at any time.

For tips on how to be water-wise around the home, visit Council’s website www.cairns.qld.gov.au