Tougher bans on water loom

Hamish Heard
Stage three water restrictions are set to grip the Geelong region by the end of the month, according to a confidential memo.
The Independent has seen the Surf Coast Shire memo, saying Barwon Water had told council restrictions would rise “within weeks”.
Barwon Water chief executive Dennis Brockenshire confirmed stage three restrictions were looming.
He said a hike was a certainty unless “good rainfall” hit the region soon.
“Barwon Water is closely monitoring the level in our storages together with what’s happening with rainfall and it’s likely we will move to stage three if there is no improvement,” Mr Brocken-shire said.
However, he said it was unlikely Barwon Water would introduce stage three restrictions until next month.
Early in September Country Fire Authority Region 7 chief Bob Barry told the Independent Barwon Water had indicated stage two water restrictions would be introduced by mid-September. Barwon Water dismissed his claim before introducing stage two restrictions on September 16.
The restrictions followed the region’s driest winter in 150 years.
Stage three tightens restrictions on watering gardens and cleaning windows and vehicles, while banning filling fountains and new pools.
No gardens could be watered on Mondays, Thursdays or Fridays. Properties could only water gardens two days a week limited hours using manual or automatic dripper systems or hand-held hoses with trigger nozzles.