Water Minister Dave Kelly has reminded households and businesses to switch-off garden irrigation by June 1 to help save around five billion litres of precious water – enough water to fill Optus Stadium five times.
Each year, residents in Perth, Peel and parts of the South-West and Great Southern must turn off garden irrigation from June 1 to August 31, as part of the annual Winter Sprinkler Switch-off.
Introduced as a permanent water efficiency measure in 2010, the switch-off saves around five billion litres of precious drinking water annually and has saved close to 55 billion litres of water to date.
Adopting water-saving practices inside and outside the home is vital, as the State continues to adapt to the impacts of climate change on rainfall. While Perth received a drenching last winter, long-term average rainfall has declined by around 20 per cent since the 1970s, leading to an 80 per cent reduction in streamflow to metropolitan dams.
Using sprinklers during the switch-off can result in a $100 fine if witnessed by a Water Corporation inspector, or a written warning if reported by a member of the public.
The switch-off applies to scheme and bore water users, in addition to many licensed groundwater users. Hand watering and some exemptions apply. In areas of the State not subject to the ban, normal watering rosters and the daytime sprinkler ban still apply.
To find out if you are included in the switch-off, visit https://www.watercorporation.com.au/wintersprinklerswitchoff
For details on how the switch-off applies to bore and licensed water users, visit https://www.dwer.wa.gov.au/water
As stated by Water Minister Dave Kelly:
“We’ve had some extremely wet weather over the past couple of weeks, so I would hope people have done the right thing and switched off early ahead of the Winter Sprinkler Switch-off to help save as much water as possible. If they haven’t, they have until June 1 to do so.
“The Winter Sprinkler Switch-off is an incredibly effective water efficiency measure and part of a wide range of initiatives to ensure we continue to enjoy a secure, sustainable future water supply.
“I encourage all households to switch-off now and help us save up to five Optus Stadium’s worth of water by August 31.”
List of local government areas where the Winter Sprinkler Switch-off applies:
| Perth and Peel | South West/Great Southern |
| City of Swan | Shire of Dardanup |
| City of Wanneroo | Shire of Denmark |
| Shire of Kalamunda | Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup |
| Shire of Mundaring | Shire of Harvey |
| Shire of Murray | Shire of Manjimup |
| Shire of Peppermint Grove | Shire of Nannup |
| Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale | Shire of Plantagenet |
| Town of Bassendean | Shire of Waroona |
| Town of Cambridge | City of Albany |
| Town of Claremont | City of Bunbury |
| Town of Cottesloe | Shire of Augusta-Margaret River |
| Town of East Fremantle | Shire of Boyup Brook |
| Town of Kwinana | Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes |
| Town of Mosman Park | City of Busselton |
| Town of Victoria Park | Shire of Capel |
| Town of Vincent | Shire of Collie |
| City of Armadale | Shire of Cranbrook |
| City of Bayswater | |
| City of Belmont | |
| City of Canning | |
| City of Cockburn | |
| City of Fremantle | |
| City of Gosnells | |
| City of Joondalup | |
| City of Mandurah | |
| City of Melville | |
| City of Nedlands | |
| City of Perth | |
| City of Rockingham | |
| City of South Perth | |
| City of Stirling | |
| City of Subiaco |
