AS residents move into the second week of water restrictions, some have started to wonder whether Bathurst Regional Council is bound by the same limitations.
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Council owns and manages a long list of facilities in the region, including parks and sporting infrastructure.
Director of Engineering Services, Darren Sturgiss, said council would continue with its watering regime, but aimed to save water where possible.
“Council will continue to water parks and sportsgrounds using water wise irrigation technology for as long as possible to protect these significant and high value community assets,” he said.
“Council engages a number of best practice principles and water saving processes in its recreational spaces.”
Council intends to apply the minimum amount of water necessary to keep parks and sporting fields usable and safe for residents.
Mr Sturgiss said that all the parks and sporting fields that have irrigation are controlled automatically by specialist commercial irrigation control systems.
“Many of council’s major parks and sporting fields are connected to a back-to-base telemetry monitoring system that is able to identify and report issues and shut down irrigation if required,” he said.
“The telemetry system also monitors and adjusts watering needs via connected weather stations to ensure that only the minimum amount of water necessary is applied to keep vegetation and grass at optimum growing conditions.”
Automatic watering is also carried out at night, ensuring water doesn’t evaporate as it would during the daylight hours.
”However, there will be some requirements for watering during the early mornings if field renovation works are in progress or when required to prepare turf surfaces for local sports events,” Mr Sturgiss said.
“At times irrigation systems are also tested during the day.”
Water restrictions came into effect on November 26, as Chifley Dam had failed to reach 75 per cent by the November 12 deadline.
The level three (high) restrictions will remain in place until the dam gets to 75 per cent, or further restrictions will be introduced if the level continues to fall.
