Local gardeners have been left puzzled by the Bathurst Regional Council’s decision to implement level three water restrictions in the region from next Monday, November 26.
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With the water level of the Ben Chifley Dam sitting at 57.8 per cent as of November 20, the water restrictions were brought in by the council to safeguard Bathurst’s water supply after two years of below average rainfall.
The water restrictions will limit the watering of lawns and gardens to a maximum of 30 minutes every second day.
However, members of the Bathurst community who make a living off gardening are perplexed as to why they weren’t consulted by council in regards to implementing the restrictions.
“If they think half an hour every second day is enough for most gardens, then they have no idea what they’re talking about,” Churches Garden Centre owner Andrew Churches said.
Mr Churches’ statements are supported by Benning Garden owner Tim Hector and Bathurst Gardeners’ Club president Karen Granger, both whom feel there could’ve been a better way to implement restrictions.
“I respect that the council has to make big decisions for Bathurst, but surely they should consult with people who are experts in the field when it comes to decisions like this,” Mr Hector said.
“We understand that long term water security is the priority, but a sensible, more gradual approach to restrictions would’ve been far more effective,” Ms Granger added.
Ms Granger is worried that the announcement of the restrictions will have many members of the community resort to ‘panic gardening,’ in turn using more water than normal.
“It’s like when the shops are due to close for a couple of days, human nature ensures everyone rushes in to buy up,” she said.
“Since the deadline was announced, people are watering that don’t normally water.”
Being gardeners by trade, people like Mr Churches, Mr Hector and Ms Granger are aware of how to properly use water, and are concerned about the effects the restrictions pose.
“I have nervous staff who have families, and we’re not the only business that is going to be affected,” Mr Churches said.
The council voted marginally in favour of introducing water restrictions at an ordinary meeting in October if levels at the Chifley Dam had not reached 75 per cent by November 12.
Water restrictions were last implemented in Bathurst in 1997, before the dam wall was raised to nearly double the dam’s potential capacity.