General News
11 November, 2024
Emergency water controls
SNAP water restrictions will be enforced in the Douglas Shire to ensure there is no repeat of a previous crisis during and after Cyclone Jasper.
The ‘emergency water restrictions’ will impose limits above level 4 controls.
Councillors agreed to the new restrictions being imposed only when there is an imminent risk of running out of potable water.
Residents will be asked to use just 100 litres of water per person per day, or ideally 50 litres, limit clothes washing and encouraged to only flush solids down the toilet.
Under the restrictions, banned will be the topping up of private pools, cleaning windows, watering plants by council staff and in private gardens, turning on water features, and even the use of water pistols and water toys by children.
Deputy mayor Roy Zammataro told last week’s ordinary council meeting that it was important the public realised the new restriction level would allow residents to have water for basic needs rather than no water at all.
“If these restrictions are adhered to, we should be able to keep water back for the basic needs,” he said.
Cr Abigail Noli said it was “really important that the community understands that it happened to us, we weren’t prepared for it and it was out of our hands and, while it may never be the first one or the last one, we have got to be prepared”.
Mayor Lisa Scomazzon said the council had to be prepared after the situation got out of hand during and after Cyclone Jasper.
She said the new restriction level had to be approved before the start of the wet season.
“We are hopeful there will be few, if any, occasions when we will need to activate emergency water restrictions this wet season, however, if enacted, the plan is to relax restrictions when all reservoirs are back near maximum capacity,” Cr Scomazzon said.
“This might be 12 hours if we have successfully repaired a major main break, or it could be one to two days if water production has stopped due to a prolonged wet weather event.
“The key to minimising the length of restrictions will be if we can truly band together as a community collectively shift the dial on water usage in our homes and businesses.
“We hope the emergency restrictions are not required but it is important the community is aware of some of the ongoing challenges our water network is facing and why everyone’s efforts in conserving water are so important.”
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