By Nicole Precel
HOBSONS Bay sportsgrounds will benefit from a relaxing of Melbourne’s water restrictions, announced last week.
Investment into major water projects, rainfall and household water-saving efforts has lead to an easing of restrictions to Stage 3.
From Good Friday, households will be able to water their gardens every second morning for two hours, three in four sportsground and school ovals will be able to be watered.
Council can also increase watering of public gardens by 50 per cent and Target 155 will remain in place to encourage households to continue saving water.
Hobsons Bay mayor Bill Tehan said this was welcome relief.
“Relaxing the water restrictions will enable the council to water up to three quarters of the grounds throughout the municipality,” he said.
“Those sportsgrounds which have not been watered have generally deteriorated due to lack of water available for irrigation.”
He said irrigation should improve the condition of the additional grounds for the winter season.
“If the relaxed restrictions continue over next summer there is the potential to undertake additional ground renovations and ultimately improve access to grass sports surfaces,” he said.
Stage 3 water restrictions include the following:
– Lawns cannot be watered.
– Automatic dripper systems can be used between midnight and 2am every second day.
– A manual dripper system, hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, a watering can and a bucket can be used for gardens between 6am and 8am every second day.
– Cars can be washed at a commercial car wash, a bucket filled from a tap can be used to clean windows, mirrors and lights and spot-remove corrosive substances.
