Oatlands will move to stage two water restrictions from Wednesday next week as the central Tasmanian town’s dam levels keep dropping with no meaningful rain in sight.
The tighter rules, to be in place from May 20, come just over three weeks after stage one restrictions began on April 27.
TasWater is aiming to cut non-essential water use in the town by 50% under the new stage.
Watering lawns will no longer be permitted. Gardens and sports grounds will be limited to allocated days based on whether a property’s street number is odd or even.
TasWater’s head of communications and engagement Liz Hafner said the move was needed to protect the town’s supply.
“Continued low rainfall and declining dam levels have made it essential to escalate restrictions in Oatlands,” Hafner said.
“Stage two water restrictions aim to reduce non-essential water use by 50% by encouraging more conscious use of water.”
She said most of the changes would be felt outside the home.
“This will mean a change to the routines of some residents, but with support from the community these changes will significantly boost the amount of water available in the system,” Hafner said.
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting below-average rainfall for eastern Tasmania from June to August 2026, with a 60% to 80% chance of a drier than average winter.
Maximum temperatures are also likely to run above average and the bureau says El Nino is likely to develop during winter – a pattern that typically reduces rain across eastern Australia.
Hafner said restrictions would be lifted once conditions improved.
“Once we’ve seen consistent rain and improved storage levels, we will move to lift restrictions,” she said.
“We know restrictions are challenging, but with the possibility of an extended drier period forecast later this year, every litre saved now helps protect the community’s water supply in the months ahead.”
