A lovely garden is a great place to relax and unwind. Gardens need water, but they don't necessarily need a lot of water. If you're smart in how you plan and nurture your plants, you can have a gorgeous and drought-resistant garden to enjoy for many years to come.
Our tips for saving water in the garden
- We all love to keep our gardens green and healthy, and there's no reason you can't do this while saving water.
- Always use a leak-free trigger nozzle on your hose and remember to properly turn off the tap.
- Choose hardy/drought proof plants and lawns (perennial and creeping) if possible.
- Keep lawn watering to a minimum by encouraging deep root growth and keeping a weed-free lawn.
- Water thoroughly rather than often, to help make plants tough and tolerant of extremes.
- Fertilise lawns in late winter to encourage deep rooted grasses.
- Use mulch to ensure reduced water loss from evaporation.
- Water your plants, not the footpaths or other non-vegetative surfaces.
- Wash your car on the lawn with a bucket and sponge before a final hose off so that you end up with both a clean car and a watered lawn.
- If you have a pool or spa, use a pool cover to keep it clean and reduce water evaporation.
The lawn is the biggest user of water in the garden!
Did you know that a garden sprinkler uses about 1000 litres of water an hour? |
Water restrictions
Water conservation is an integral part of our operations at GWMWater.
Make sure you're aware of and complying with Permanent Water Saving Rules. We introduce staged water restrictions at certain times to also conserve our precious water resources.
Water restrictions in our region
Low water use gardens in our region
If you're looking for some great examples of low water use gardens in our region, there are plenty to choose from! Our very own Horsham office has a low water use garden surrounding the building.
We are also proud to have sponsored the following low water use gardens in our region:
- Federation Park - Stawell
- Woodbine Administration Centre - Warracknabeal
- Karkana Administration Centre - Horsham
- East Wimmera Health Service - Ararat
Gardening with Ted BrownLearn from the best and soak up some local expertise with our favourite gardener, Ted Brown! Together with GWMWater, Ted has prepared fact sheets to help you grow a thriving and drought-resistant garden. Download the fact sheets for great ideas to create a beautiful waterwise garden.
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Keep track with a water auditOur Or use this online water calculator to see how much water you use at your place. |
It can very surprising to learn how much water you're using in a day. Have you ever thought about how much water your shower uses? Or how much running the dishwasher every night contributes to your bill? It's good to be aware of how much water your daily activities are using - once you know you're a lot more conscious of how you can save water.
The toilet
- A dual flush cistern uses 3 litres for a half flush and 6 litres for a full flush.
- A single flush cistern uses 9 to 11 litres per flush.
The shower
- A water-efficient showerhead uses approximately 9 litres per minute.
- An older style showerhead uses approximately 19 litres per minute - that's 10 litres more!
- Having a daily 5 minute shower with an older style showerhead uses about 36,500 litres of water a year.
We recommend keeping your showers to under 3 minutes and installing a 3 star water-saving shower head.
The bath
- A bath uses between 50 to 150 litres of water per fill, depending on the water level.
Dishwashing by hand
- It takes around 15 to 18 litres of water to fill a kitchen sink.
Dishwashers
- Modern dishwashers use around 15 litres for a fast cycle and 20 litres for a normal cycle. Check your manual to find out how much your dishwasher uses.
Washing machine
- A modern front loading machine uses 50 litres on a normal cycle.
- A top loader uses 120-150 litres on a normal cycle.
- A twin tub uses approximately 70 litres of water on a normal cycle.
General use
- For handwashing, brushing teeth, cooking and household cleaning you will use around 18 litres per person per day.
- Leaving the tap running while brushing your teeth uses about 5 litres of water.
Watering the garden
- A garden sprinkler uses approximately 1000 litres of water an hour. Put a rain gauge near the sprinkler to measure the amount of water.
Dripping taps or leaking toilets
- A dripping tap can waste up to 200 litres of water a day.
Many properties in urban areas will have the option to join our sewer network. The primary requirement for a property is that it's fronted by one of our mains. If your property isn't currently fronted by a main, you may be eligible to apply to extend our network.
Homes in unsewered areas use a septic tank system that treats the wastewater on site. Your local council regulates the use of septic tanks in unsewered areas.
What to do
Step 1: Check if wastewater and sewerage services are available in your area
Use our 
Service Area Map (2.5MB) or the table below to check if our sewerage services are available in your town.
* Pressure Sewer Scheme
Step 2: Find out if your property is fronted by a main
To find out if your property is fronted by a main, use our interactive map of GWMWater assets or get in touch with us.
If your property isn't fronted by a water pipeline, you may be eligible to apply to extend our network.
Step 3: Find a licensed plumber
Only a licensed plumber can connect you to a main. This is to ensure the safety of our system and the community. You'll need to find a plumber before applying for permission to connect, as you're required to supply their details on the application form.
Your plumber will help design the connection is accordance with our standards.
Sewer service connection standards:
- For non-residential connections, Contact GWMWater for assessment of trade waste.
- Each lot must have its own connection; combined sanitary drains and extended sanitary works are not accepted unless owned by the Owners Corporation and installed within Common Property.
- Gravity connections must be as per AS/NZS3500 with the minimum acceptable size being 100 mm.
- Connections must be perpendicular to the main and extend less than 10m or, if crossing a road, less than 25 m. Longer connections require a sewer main extension.
- Connections must not traverse private land except within the sewer easement to the connecting main; you must obtain works consent from both the private property owner and GWMWater.
- GWMWater will only accept pressure sewer connections within existing pressure sewer schemes or where gravity connections are infeasible.
Step 4: Apply to connect
If you're ready to connect to our sewerage services you'll need permission from us before you begin any works.
Download an Application for Consent to Connect to the Wastewater System
Extending our network
If your property isn't fronted by one of our mains, you may be eligible to apply to extend our network. See Extending our network for more information.
Disconnections
If you would like to disconnect from our services, please call us on 1300 659 961.
Further information...
We're committed to serving our customers and have developed a charter to reflect our ongoing commitment to you and the community.
Our pricing structure is based on your wastewater and sewerage service availability.
GWMWater provides Guaranteed Service Levels for urban customers. You maybe eligible to receive a rebate on your bill if our services don't meet the required performance standards.
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Many properties in urban areas will have the option to join our existing water network. The primary requirement for a property is that it's fronted by one of our mains.
In rural areas, we may supply water for landowners through a rural pipeline connection, or a groundwater or surface water diversion.
If you're property isn't fronted by a main or a rural pipeline, you may also be eligible to apply to extend our water network.
What to do
Step 1: Check if urban water services are available in your area
Use our Service Area Map (2.5MB) or the table below to check your water supply.
Step 2: Find out if your property is fronted by a main
To find out if your property is fronted by an urban water main, use our interactive map of GWMWater assets or get in touch with us.
Step 3: Find a licensed plumber
Only a licensed plumber can connect you to a main. This is to ensure the safety of our water system and the community. You'll need to find a plumber before applying for permission to connect, as you're required to supply their details on the application form.
Your plumber will help design the connection is accordance with our standards.
Information for plumbers:
Meters must not be in pits, must be located a minimum of 300 mm from trafficable surfaces, maintain 150 mm clear space above, below, and around the meter, maintain unrestricted access for GWMWater inspection and maintenance, and be located a minimum of 300 mm and a maximum of 2000 mm inside the lot boundary fronting the GWMWater water main.
Where installed, backflow prevention ports require 300 mm clear space below.
Multiple-rated properties and properties with frontage via common property to the GWMWater main may utilise a common tapping via a meter manifold located within common property with a valve at the property boundary between the main and manifold.
The above standard connection requirements apply, with minimum spacing of 150 mm between meters, and a maximum of 6 water meters per manifold.
Table 1: Common tapping & meter manifold size guide.
|
No. of 25mm Connections |
Minimum Manifold Diameter (DN mm) Larger diameter may be required; consult your plumber |
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3 |
40 |
|
4 |
40 |
|
5 |
50 |
|
6 |
63 |
Where there are more than 12 rated properties, GWMWater will consider proposals for sub-metering at GWMWater’s discretion on the basis of limiting congestion of water service pipes within the property. In such cases:
- A parent meter is required. The service point is the parent meter; performance of GWMWater’s service obligations is measured at this location regardless of performance at the sub-meter.
- The sizing of infrastructure must be supported by hydraulic calculations demonstrating the infrastructure will supply all sub-meters with sufficient flow as per the GWMWater Urban Customer Charter.
- Sub-meters must be located outdoors, or within a radio-transparent cabinet and maintain GWMWater’s unrestricted access.
- Sub-meters must not be in pits, must be located a minimum of 300 mm from trafficable surfaces, maintain 150 mm clear space above, below and around the meter, and must be located up to 1 m inside the sub-metered property, or within common property.
- GWMWater own and maintain: the service connection pipe between the main and the parent meter; and the parent meter; and the sub-meters; and the metering communication devices. All other common infrastructure is owned and maintained by the property owner(s) and must be listed on the owners corporation schedule (if applicable).
Step 4: Apply to connect
If you're ready to connect to our water services you'll need permission from us before you begin any works.
Download an Application for Consent to Connect to the Water Supply System (109kB)
Fire Service connections - For more information on Fire Servicing, visit Fire service.
Extending our network
If your property isn't fronted by a water main, you may be eligible to apply to extend our network. See Extending our network for more information.
Disconnections
If you would like to disconnect from our services, please call us on 1300 659 961.
Further information...Apply for a pressure and flow test You may require a pressure and flow test when connecting to our services to ensure the water network will meet your requirements.
GWMWater provides drinking water and non-drinking water supplies. Find out where you can drink the water.
We're committed to serving our customers and have developed a charter to reflect our ongoing commitment to you and the community.
GWMWater provides Guaranteed Service Levels for urban customers. You maybe eligible to receive a rebate on your water bill if our services don't meet the required performance standards.
Our pricing structure is based on the quality of water supplied and where your water comes from. Find out more. |
Many properties in rural areas will have the option to join our existing water network. The primary requirement for a property is that it's fronted by one of our pipelines.
In rural areas where pipeline services aren't available, we may provide landowners 'take and use' licences for groundwater or surface water diversion.
If your property isn't fronted by a pipeline, you may also be eligible to apply to extend our network.
What to do
Step 1: Check if rural pipeline services are available in your area
Use our Service Area Map (2.5MB) or the table below to check if our rural pipeline services are available in your area.
| Antwerp | Dimboola | Ledcourt | Patchewollock | Tempy |
| Berriwillock | Donald | Landsborough | Piangil | Ultima |
| Beulah | Dooen | Manangatang | Pimpinio | Underbool |
| Birchip | Glenorchy | Marnoo | Quambatook | Waitchie |
| Brim | Hopetoun | Murtoa | Rainbow | Walpeup |
| Charlton | Horsham | Natimuk | Rupanyup | Warracknabeal |
| Clear Lake | Jeparit | Noradjuha | Sea Lake | Watchem |
| Chillingollah | Jung | Nullawil | Speed | Woomelang |
| Chinkapook | Lalbert | Nyah | Swan Hill | Wycheproof |
| Culgoa | Lascelles | Nyah West | St Arnaud | Yaapeet |
| Dadswells Bridge | Lake Boga | Ouyen | Tarranyurk |
Step 2: Find out if your property is fronted by a pipeline
To find out if your property is fronted by one of our rural pipelines, use our interactive map of GWMWater assets or get in touch with us.
If your property isn't fronted by a water pipeline, you may be eligible to apply to extend our network.
Step 3: Find a licensed plumber
Only a licensed plumber can connect you to a rural pipeline. This is to ensure the safety of our water system and the community. You'll need to find a plumber before applying for permission to connect, as you're required to supply their details on the application form.
Step 4: Apply to connect
If you're ready to connect to our rural pipeline services you'll need permission from us before you begin any works. If you're a new pipeline customer, you'll also need to purchase a pipeline water allowance to cover your usage.
Download an Application for Consent to Connect to the Rural Pipeline System (124kB) to apply to connect as well as purchase a water allowance.
More about applying for a pipeline water allowance
Extending our network
If your property isn't fronted by a water pipeline, you may be eligible to apply to extend our network. See Extending our network for more information.
Disconnections
If you would like to disconnect from our services, please call us on 1300 659 961.
Further information...
Benefits of connecting to a rural pipeline There are many benefits of connecting to a reliable and secure rural piped water supply. Read some case studies about how piped water has benefited landholders in our community.
Opportunity now exists for landowners not previously able to be serviced by a secure water supply to be connected to a rural pipeline.
We're committed to serving our customers and have developed a charter to reflect our ongoing commitment to you and the community.
Our pricing structure is based on the size of your water allowance, the number of meters you have and your water usage.
Detailing three cost scenario examples to assist landholders to understand pricing structure.
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