Save Water Now - Water Saving and Restrictions

On your water bill you will find your Daily Water Use. Divide that number by the number of people who live there. Alternatively read your water meter at the same time over a period of several days and average the figure. Read only the red dials.

In the yard:

• Put away the hose and use a watering can or bucket instead, saving 20 litres/minute
• Use a broom or rake instead of hose to clean paths and save 100 litres for 5 minutes of cleaning
• Fix a dripping tap and save 1.3 litres an hour
• Mulch your beds to stop water loss, and
• Cover your pool to stop water loss.

In the house:

• Load the washing machine full and save 80 litres
• Don’t pre-rinse at the sink or before you stack the dishwasher (full) ad save 45 litres in 5 minutes
• Don’t flush pee and try the ½ flush on poo and save 10 litres across the day
• Cut 2 minutes off your shower and save 18 litres, and
• At the basin for face, hands and teeth it’s on/off/on and save 2 litres.

Council can help large water users save water by undertaking a free water audit to see if there are any areas where efficiencies can be gained.

Council can help residents by offering a rebate of up to $100 to upgrade showerheads to 3-star WELS-rated and taps to 4-star WELS-rated fittings. Find out how to apply at Residential Water Rebates.

Water restrictions do not apply where a fire emergency has been declared in your area. Please follow all emergency service directions. Water restrictions do not apply to emergency services at any time.

Water restrictions are designed to reduce consumption and save the supplies we have. On current data, we estimate we will run out of water in September 2020.

Water restrictions last for as long as it takes. The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts show only a 35 per cent chance of exceeding the median rainfall from December 2019 through to March 2020. So, indicators are basically saying the drought will continue through to at least March next year and possibly longer as we then go into the dryer winter period.

October 2002 to February 2003.

Council has decided to introduce Level 2 Water Restrictions first up because the Clarrie Hall Dam supply is falling more rapidly than first expected, at 1.8 per cent a week as opposed to the initial estimate of 1 per cent a week.

Also, based on the average daily water use per person of 193 litres as at 1 December, each person would be asked to find 40 litres of savings a day under Level 1 restrictions and 50 litres of savings a day under Level 2 restrictions. Council decided that the savings required under Level 2 restrictions would be attainable and would deliver the greatest benefit to making our supplies last.

Council began tankering water into the village of Tyalgum on Tuesday 19 November to supplement supplies. At the same time, it announced Level 4 restrictions from midnight on Sunday 24 November because the levels in the Tyalgum weir were dropping more rapidly than expected and the raw water quality had deteriorated to a point where it was prudent to reduce our reliance on that source.

Through its water saving initiatives, Council has reduced demand for water from a high of 247 litres per person per day in 2000-2001 to 189 litres per person per day in 2018-2019. In 2013, under its Target 180 campaign, an all-time low of 179 litres per person per day was achieved.

Council also has:

• been working with the community to review our water saving initiatives and identify any further initiatives we can pursue to get demand down. That Community Reference Group also has been reviewing the work we have done under our Drought Management Policy and Water Augmentation Strategy looking for further or complementary measures to better manage water. Council will soon award a contract for a consultant / s to investigate the options identified by the Community Reference Group. The Group will then score those options and report to Council nominating its preferred recommendations. That final report to Council is due in May 2020.
• written to the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) requesting a relaxation of the required environmental flows. If this request is granted, Council can reduce the amount of water released from Clarrie Hall Dam every day, ensuring our water supplies last longer
• stopped its routine flushing and cleaning of water mains unless absolutely required to address a water quality issue
• stopped watering its parks and gardens and shut down its planting program, and
• been looking at alternatives to using drinking quality water for dust suppression on building and roads projects.

Council is:

• investigating options for an alternate water supply to supplement our current supply if it becomes critically low. Ongoing discussions include fast-tracking a proposed small pipeline linking the Tweed supply to the City of Gold Coast supply
• assessing groundwater supply options and a portable temporary desalination plant.

Council may shut its road construction program and undertake only essential maintenance if necessary.

We need at least 150-200mm in the catchment over several days to get any runoff into Clarrie Hall Dam. With significant falls the dam can recover relatively quickly but we need to get back to 100 per cent capacity before all water restrictions are lifted.

Yes. There are a number of services and support agencies offering assistance to drought-affected farmers to help them manage their property, livestock, finances and own health and well-being during tough times.

Landholders are encouraged to visit the Department of Primary Industries Droughthub (www.droughthub.nsw.gov.au) for information on the services and support available.

The NSW Rural Assistance Authority (RAA) provides assistance to rural producers and small business in regional NSW through programs that encourage self-reliance and adaptation to change. The guidelines and application forms for RAA assistance can be found at www.raa.nsw.gov.au. Contact the RAA by phoning 1800 678 593.

The NSW Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) is a free and confidential service which provides information and assistance on financial position, budgets and submitting applications. Contact them at www.raa.nsw.gov.au/rfc or phone 1800 940 404.

North Coast Local Land Services (NCLLS) can help with ‘boots on the ground’ services during times of drought. NCLLS staff can assist producers with livestock and pasture advice, animal health issues, pest animal problems and applying for roadside grazing permits and available Travel Stock Routes. Contact them on (02) 6623 3900.

Other useful contacts are:

NSW Drought Transport Fund at www.droughthub.nsw.gov.au

Transport Subsidy at www.droughthub.nsw.gov.au

On-farm emergency water infrastructure rebate at www.droughthub.nsw.gov.au

Council is working on a number of projects to secure the long-term water supply for the Tweed, including:

• raising the wall of Clarrie Hall Dam to treble its capacity
• protect the Tweed District Water Supply from tidal inundation at Bray Park Weir
• construct a small pipeline to link the Tweed supply to the City of Gold Coast supply.

Council also is reviewing all the work it has done in water augmentation, demand management and drought management to see if any other initiatives or technologies can deliver water savings.

We are on schedule to raise the wall of Clarrie Hall Dam when projected demand for water and population growth figures tell us we will need a larger supply, that is, by 2026.

We are now half way through the 10-year timeline to raise the wall of the dam. Eco Logical Australia has been engaged to prepare the Environmental Impact Statement which will take 12 to 18 months to complete before going on public exhibition for comment. The EIS, together with the Response to Submission Report, then goes to the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment for assessment and for the Minister to make a recommendation on whether the project can go ahead and if so under what conditions.

If the project wins Ministerial consent, construction will start about 2023 for completion by 2026. Read more about the project at www.yoursaytweed.com.au/RaisingClarrieHall.

Water NSW is the State body responsible for issuing the licences for aquifer use under the Water Sharing Plans and the Water Management Act 2000. Development Consent is required for water extraction under the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979 (in addition to a State water licence). The State Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) responds to alleged breaches of water law in NSW.

Development consents remain active once physically lawfully commenced. Council can only revoke a development consent if it is satisfied the consent should not be carried out or completed having regard to a proposed Local Environment Plan (LEP). If a consent is revoked, Council must pay the applicant compensation. Also, any decision to revoke consent can be appealed. To date, the elected Council has not resolved to revoke any development consents.