Watering exemptions
The exemptions below only apply to scheme water supplied by the Water Corporation. (All exemptions granted may be subject to verification and audit).
You must apply for an exemption for the following activities by calling 13 10 39.
Watering exemptions for new lawns and gardens
If you are establishing a new lawn or garden, you may apply for additional watering times and days. New lawn can refer to roll on lawn, runners, shredded lawn and/or seed.
Towns south of (and including) Kalbarri and Kalgoorlie can use sprinklers to water a new lawn and/or garden for up to 35 days from the day of planting, up to three times per day, up to 10mm per day.
Towns north of and (excluding) Kalbarri and Kalgoorlie can use sprinklers to water a new lawn and/or garden for up to 35 days from the day of planting, up to three times per day, up to 25mm per day.
How to apply
- The householder must call us on 13 10 39 and request an exemption on the date the exemption needs to commence.
- You cannot water by sprinklers (outside of your watering roster) until an exemption is put in place.
- The exemption is valid for 35 days from the date it was requested to commence.
What you will need to tell us when applying
- the address of the property;
- your name, mobile, home telephone details and email address;
- if you are using a garden bore;
- the nature and location of the new planting (ie: front/back, garden/lawn);
- the date from which the exemption is requested to commence; and
- the name of the person responsible for watering the property.
Breaches of exemptions
If the householder is granted an exemption and found not to comply with the exemption conditions, an infringement notice can be issued. The penalty is a $500 fine, which may be modified to a $100 on the spot fine.
For example, a property being watered more than three times a day, or greater than 10 millimetres (south) or 25 millimetres (north), is in breach of the exemption conditions.
All exemptions cease after 35 days from the date the exemption is requested to commence. Normal watering rosters apply after this date.
Regardless of who has installed the lawn, plants and irrigation system, the owner of the property is held responsible for any breach of the exemption rule.
At the end of the 35 day period, the settings on your reticulation controller must be amended in accordance with your sprinkler roster.
Watering exemptions for community gardens
If you currently manage an existing community garden, or are planning to establish a new community garden, you may apply for an exemption from sprinkler rosters. Community gardens are productive gardens where people come together to grow food.
Licenced bore owners should contact the Department of Water on (08) 6364 7600 to discuss this exemption under the conditions of their licence.
 | Community gardens exemptions |
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Variation to designated watering days
Public institutions and sporting bodies can apply for an exemption to alter their designated watering days. To be eligible, the organisation must demonstrate the need to change their watering days and have considered all other watering options.
If granted, the exemption allows watering to occur on nominated alternative days, between the hours of 6pm and 9am, on a total number of days in the week equal to that allowed in their watering regime zone.
The following exemptions are granted automatically.
Installation, repair and testing of irrigation systems
A person, during the course of their employment in the turf, garden or landscaping industries can operate an irrigation system to the minimum extent necessary while the system is being installed, maintained, tested or repaired.
The Water Corporation advises that in this case the ‘minimum extent necessary’ is considered to involve limiting testing to a maximum of two minutes per station. An 'Authorised sprinkler testing in progress' sign must be clearly displayed on the site for the duration of the testing.
Caravan parks or camping ground sites
Caravan parks or camping ground sites can be watered immediately after it has been vacated. A standard drink (of 10millimetres) is allowed.
Indoor plants including glasshouses
You can water indoor plants including those in glasshouses through efficient irrigation practices. For example, for many glasshouse plants, the use of a mist spray for up to one minute four times a day is satisfactory.
Lawn tennis courts, turf wickets and bowling greens
Managers of grassed covered sporting grounds in any town south of (and including) Kalbarri and Kalgoorlie can water using an irrigation system for one extra day per week in addition to their rostered watering day/s (before 9am and after 6pm).
Aviaries
People with aviaries can put their sprinklers on to cool down birds in their cages.
Market gardens or plant nurseries
Market gardens or plant nurseries can be watered to the minimum extent necessary to ensure the viable operation of the market garden or plant nursery.
Synthetic sporting grounds
You can water synthetic sporting surfaces for 10 minutes before a sport is played or practised on the sporting ground.
Applying wetting agents and fertilisers (includes vertimowing)
A person, during the course of employment in the turf, garden and landscaping industries, can apply 10 millimetres of water immediately after the application of fertilisers, wetting agents or vertimowing.
This exemption is not available to general customers who are expected to carry out these activities and watering on their allocated day and within the allowed times.
Firefighting
A person can use water to the minimum extent necessary for fire fighting or training for fire fighting.
Commercial
All commercial and industrial properties are exempt if the water is required for operational purposes.
The exemption does not cover watering of lawns and/or gardens at these properties.
