WATER patrols will be conducted across the Southern Downs despite recent rain.
Residents are being encouraged to be mindful of the high level water restrictions, which were triggered late last month, and are in effect everywhere except Killarney and Wallangarra.
Southern Downs Regional Council director of engineering services Peter See urged residents not to be fooled by recent falls.
“The summer heat and the lack of rain is emptying our dams and, while there has been some storm activity and patchy rain, it’s not enough to replenish water storage areas,” he said on Friday.
“The Southern Downs has experienced drought before and many residents are familiar with the rules around water restrictions. Council cannot afford to be complacent and neither can Southern Downs communities.”
Mr See said he hoped not to have to issue fines, but the current situation was “quite serious“.
“We have appointed water patrol officers and water patrol vehicles to help reinforce the importance of water restrictions,” he said.
High level water restrictions mean residents cannot use water sprinklers or fixed irrigation systems and the maximum consumption target is 170 litres per person per day.
Residents in odd number or no number properties can hand water outdoors on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and even number properties can hand water on Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays for one hour only,
between 6pm and 7pm.
The next level is extreme, which has a maximum consumption target of 140 litres per person per day.
