Perth garden bore owners reminded to follow daytime sprinkler ban

5/2/00

Water Resources Minister Dr Kim Hames today reminded Perth garden bore owners to follow the daytime sprinkler ban and use their groundwater wisely.
Dr Hames said that numerous reports of people wasting water from garden bores on their gardens had been received in the last few months.
"Groundwater is a precious resource, and while domestic bore users don't have to pay for the water, overuse can cost the environment," he said.
"About one third of the breaches of the daytime sprinkler ban investigated by the Water Corporation have been by garden bore owners."
Dr Hames said that while the daytime sprinkler ban did not directly apply to groundwater, bore owners should follow the rules that are in place for scheme water.
"Sensible water use involves only watering between 6pm and 9am and only watering sufficiently to meet the garden's needs," he said.
There are approximately 130,000 domestic bores in the Perth metropolitan area pumping around 80 million kilolitres of groundwater each year.
"Every hour, the amount of water it takes to fill six Olympic swimming pools is being wasted through overwatering," Dr Hames said.
The Water and Rivers Commission will be writing to those bore users reported to the Water Corporation as being in breach of the sprinkler ban with information on how to use bores responsibly.
"Using bore water responsibly is the focus of a Water and Rivers Commission television campaign now being run in the metropolitan area," the Minister said.
"The campaign slogan 'if we abuse it, we'll lose it' sends a strong message to all groundwater users that while bores are a good source of water for Perth gardens, all water is a precious resource."
By following some general principles in the garden, water use can be conserved:
• only water sufficiently to meet the garden's needs;
• use plants that require less water;
• water in the early morning to reduce water loss to evaporation; and -
• ensure reticulation is not directed on to paths and roads.

Advice on garden bores is available from the Water and Rivers Commission on 9278 0300.
Media contact: Hartley Joynt, 9424 7450