After 14 months of not being able to use a sprinkler or irrigation system to water our lawns, Cobar residents will now get a reprieve with water restrictions to be eased this week.
In response to increasing water storage levels at Burrendong Dam, Cobar Shire Council made the decision last week to ease the water restrictions.
Burrendong Dam is now sitting at 16.5 per cent capacity, which is a vast improvement on its drop to 1.6 per cent in January.
Residents will now be permitted to use sprinklers and irrigations systems for a period of 15 minutes between 4pm and midnight under the existing ‘Odds and Evens’ system.
Council introduced the ‘Odds and Evens’ system in December 2018 in an effort to further conserve water but, as the drought continued to worsen, restrictions were further tightened and sprinklers and irrigation systems were banned from February 2019.
Council’s general manager Peter Vlatko advised councillors at last week’s Ordinary Council Meeting of the proposed amendment which is in line with the draft Drought Management Plan Level 2 restrictions.
Residents who have been waiting to lay new turf, or install and fill a new pool, are now permitted to do so.
The new restrictions will also apply to the villages of Mt Hope and Nymagee, while restrictions remain unchanged in Euabalong.
Mr Vlatko believes residents will be pleased with the easing of water restrictions however he urges that everyone continues to be water-wise.
