Permanent Water Conservation Measures - Rules for Businesses

• Public sports amenities, public parks and gardens, public open spaces 
• Commercial nursery, commercial market garden and commercial turf-growing businesses
• Commercial car wash businesses
• Public ponds and fountains
• Public swimming pools and spas 
• Construction and related activities 

Public sports amenities, public parks and gardens, public open spaces

✅ You can also use a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, a bucket or a watering can to water lawns and plants at any time.

For facilities existing at the time water conservation measures come into force (1 November 2010):

❌ You can’t water lawns and plants using sprinklers or other irrigation systems between 9am and 6pm. 

❌ You can’t use sprinklers or other irrigation systems at other times, unless: 

a) a representative of the occupier of the premises completes and lodges with Icon Water an exemption application and a water efficiency management plan within 30 days of water conservation measures coming into force; and 

b) Icon Water has not rejected the exemption application or water efficiency management plan; and 

c) if the exemption application and water efficiency management plan are approved by Icon Water, the occupier complies with the terms of the exemption and approved water efficiency management plan. 

 For facilities established after 1 November 2010, or where an existing facility lodges an exemption application and water efficiency management plan more than 30 days after water conservation measures come into force:

❌ You can’t water lawns and plants using sprinklers or other irrigation systems unless you have a written exemption. 

• An exemption will only be granted, permitting lawns and plants to be watered before 9am and after 6pm on any day using sprinklers or other irrigation systems, provided that: 
   
  a) a representative of the occupier of the premises has completed and lodged a water efficiency management plan with Icon Water; 
   
  b) Icon Water has approved the water efficiency management plan; and 
   
  c) the occupier complies with the terms of the exemption and approved water efficiency management plan. 

❌ You can’t water lawns and plants so much that it causes pooling or runoff. 

Commercial nursery, commercial market garden and commercial turf-growing businesses 

✅ You should use non-potable water wherever practical and possible.  

✅ You can water plants, turf or seed at any time using a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, a bucket or a watering can. 

For businesses existing at the time water conservation measures come into force (1 November 2010): 

❌ You can’t water plants, turf or seed using sprinklers or other irrigations systems between 11am and 4pm. 

❌ You can’t water plants, turf or seed using sprinklers or other irrigation systems at other times, unless: 

• a) a representative of the occupier of the premises completes and lodges with Icon Water an exemption application and a water efficiency management plan within 30 days of water conservation measures coming into force; and 
  
  b) Icon Water has not rejected the exemption application or water efficiency management plan; and 
  
  c) if the exemption application and water efficiency plan are approved by Icon Water, the occupier complies with the terms of the exemption and approved water efficiency management plan. 
   

For businesses established after 1 November 2010, or where an existing business lodges an exemption application and water efficiency management plan more than 30 days after water conservation measures come into force: 

❌ You can’t water plants using sprinklers or other irrigations systems without written exemption. 

•  An exemption will only be granted, permitting plants to be watered before 11am and after 4pm on any day, if: 
  
  a) a representative of the occupier of the premises has completed and lodged a water efficiency management plan with Icon Water; 
  
  b) Icon Water has approved the water efficiency management plan; and 
  c) if the water efficiency plan is approved by Icon Water, the occupier complies with the terms of the exemption and approved water efficiency management plan. 

❌You can’t water lawns and plants so much that it causes pooling or runoff. 

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Commercial car wash businesses 

• A commercial vehicle wash (including business that service, detail or repair vehicles, and vehicle dealerships) can wash vehicles provided that: 
   
  a) the occupier complies with the "Icon Water requirements for commercial vehicle washing" at Appendix 1; and  
  b) if a commercial fixed vehicle wash or a commercial fixed vehicle detailing business, the operator uses its best endeavours to comply with the applicable best practice water usage targets. 

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Public ponds and fountains

✅ You can only fill or top up your public ponds if: 

a) a representative of the occupier of the premises where the pond or fountain is located has lodged an exemption application with Icon Water; 
b) Icon Water has granted the exemption; and 
c) water is used in accordance with the exemption. 

 

✅ You can have fountains that recirculate water from the pond or reservoir in which they are installed. 

❌ You can’t operate fountains that don’t recirculate water. 

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Public swimming pools and spas

❌ You can’t fill or top up public swimming pools and spas unless: 

a) a representative of the occupier of the premises where the pool or spa is located has lodged a water efficiency management plan with Icon Water; 
b) Icon Water has approved the water efficiency management plan; and 
c) the occupier complies with the approved water efficiency management plan. 

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Construction and related activities

✅ You should use non-potable water wherever practicable. 

• In greenfields sites, you can only use water for dust or pollutant suppression or earth compaction: 
  
  a) by means of a hose fitted with a flow cut-off device or a vehicle fitted with sprinklers; 
  b) if the occupier of the premises has lodged an exemption application with Icon Water; 
  c) if Icon Water has granted the exemption; and 
  d) if water is used in accordance with the exemption. 
  
   
• In all other cases, you can use water for building and construction activities only where alternative water sources are not reasonably available or suitable (provided that water may not be used at any time to generate an exposed aggregate finish). You must use a hose fitted with a flow cut-off device wherever practicable.  

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