Level 1 water restrictions: what this means 

Watering of plants, gardens and lawns:Watering cans or buckets allowed at any time. Hand-held hoses with trigger or twist nozzles allowed at any time and must be attended at all times.

Use of manual sprinklers, automated sprinklers, micro-spray or drip watering irrigation systems:Not permitted on Mondays. Odd numbered houses allowed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays between 6pm and 8am for a maximum of 4 hours. Even (or no) numbered houses allowed on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays between 6pm and 8am for a maximum of 4 hours.

Private Properties with swimming pools, spas and portable paddling pools – filling or topping up: Allowed at any time to the minimum operating level.

Water features (i.e. ponds, water fountains and ornaments):Allowed at any time. Water fountains and ornaments must recycle water.

Water toys and facilities: Allowed at any time, provided they are operated in an efficient way to ensure that water is not excessively wasted.

Water storage tanks and dams: Must not be filled – unless an exemption has been approved.

Cleaning of vehicles, boats, jet skis and trailers: Water must not be used, except by means of:
a) Commercial car washing facilities that recycle water.
b) Hand held hoses with trigger or twist nozzles including high pressure, low volume cleaners.
c) Watering cans or buckets filled directly from taps.
d) Boat motors may be flushed and rinsed after use.
Where possible, vehicles, boats, jet skis and trailers shall be cleaned on grassed areas.

Window cleaning: Can be cleaned at any time using:
a) High pressure, low volume cleaners
b) Trigger hoses
c) Buckets or watering cans

Paved areas – cleaning: Hosing is prohibited, unless cleaning is required as a result of an accident, fire, health hazard or other emergency. The use of a bucket is permitted at any time.

Filling mobile water tankers (other than those directly used for fire
fighting purposes): Only by using Council approved and issued metered standpipes. Fees and charges, terms and conditions apply.

Construction Industry: Unless an exemption has been approved, the use of water in construction is limited to buckets and handheld hoses with trigger or twist nozzles.

Fire fighting or other emergency purposes: Any time as reasonably required.

Supplying water for livestock and other animals: Any time as reasonably required.

Any other purpose not listed in the water restrictions (except fire fighting,
public health and safety, domestic purposes). Water must not be used – unless an exemption has been approved.

More information on Council’s Water Restrictions is available, here.

Learn how to save water around the home by visiting the Queensland Government website for more information.

Rex Creek Intake Level 

The Rex Creek intake provides water for the Mossman – Port Douglas water scheme through the Mossman water treatment plant.  It is Councils’ largest water scheme, serving about 7,000 people.

As the water level drops at the intake, typically during the drier months of the year, Council progressively introduces water conservation measures to encourage water users to reduce their usage.

The following graph shows the fortnightly intake levels from 2019.

Along with the 7,000 residents, Mossman – Port Douglas water supply scheme services the 500,000 overnight visitors along with the 300,000 day trippers who visit Port Douglas each year.  Hundreds of tourism dependant hotels, resorts and short-term holiday accommodation providers rely on the scheme to service them.

The water extraction rate from Rex Creek is regulated by the Queensland Government in order to maintain environmental flows in the creek downstream of the intake.  These reduced extraction rates align with the water conservation measures typically introduced in the dry season.  These measures tend to coincide with the peak tourism season when demand is typically higher.  In recent years, the dry season has extended into December, which with corresponding low flows in the creek, presents an increased challenge in balancing water demand with the ability to produce enough water.

Therefore the adoption of water saving measures by all residents of the Douglas Shire is so important.

Annual Rainfall Data

Rainfall in the wet tropics is concentrated from November to May each year. The rainfall averages shown are for
Port Douglas, which has the longest record, but data from Daintree, Whyanbeel and Mossman indicates a very similar pattern.