Watering Violations in Perth Spike Over 27%, Prompting New Conservation Campaign
Watering violations in Perth surged by more than 27 per cent last year, leading the Water Corporation to initiate a fresh campaign aimed at reducing household water consumption. Inspectors issued 745 infringements in 2025, a significant rise from 585 in the previous year.
Household Water Use Hits Decade High Amid Rising Breaches
In the 2023-24 period, household water consumption reached its highest level in a decade, reversing nearly 20 per cent of the decline observed since the mid-2000s. Since the implementation of new watering restrictions in 2022, bore water sprinklers have been limited to two rostered days per week, aligning with the scheme water schedule.
During the 2024-25 financial year, the Water Corporation handed out 392 infringement notices for bore watering breaches, continuing an upward trend from 337 in 2023-24 and 170 in 2022-23. Violations such as watering on incorrect days or breaching sprinkler restrictions typically result in an on-the-spot fine of $100.
Wasting Bucketloads Campaign Highlights Scale of Water Waste
Through its Wasting Bucketloads campaign, the Water Corporation is using a household bucket to visually demonstrate the extent of water wasted in suburban gardens. The initiative also reminds residents to adhere to their twice-weekly watering days.
According to the campaign, using sprinklers just one extra day per week consumes approximately 3,132 litres of water monthly, equivalent to 348 bucketloads. Water Corporation manager of demand delivery, Damien Postma, emphasized that everyone can contribute by adopting simple waterwise habits.
"Western Australians overwhelmingly do the right thing, but with demand rising and rainfall continuing to decline, it is essential we keep living the waterwise message every day," Mr Postma stated. "We need to get back to the waterwise basics by sticking to the watering roster, fixing leaks around the home, and limiting showers to no more than four minutes. And once rain is forecast, turn off your sprinklers so nature can do the work."
Declining Rainfall and Streamflow Challenge Water Security
Perth's annual dam streamflow has drastically decreased from an average of 420 billion litres less than 50 years ago to just a fraction of that today. A 20 per cent drop in rainfall has led to an 80 per cent reduction in streamflow into dams and weakened groundwater recharge.
Although a seawater desalination plant in Kwinana is operational and another is under construction in Alkimos to bolster Perth's water supply, the Water Corporation warned that these facilities are not a "licence to waste" the city's resources. "In fact, we need to be more waterwise than ever," Mr Postma added.
Campaign Aims to Raise Awareness and Reduce Waste
Research indicates that one in five people is unaware of their allocated watering roster, despite gardens accounting for more than 30 per cent of household water use. As part of the Wasting Bucketloads campaign, a mobile display filled with blue buckets is now touring Perth streets, providing a stark visual representation of water lost to household waste.
Mr Postma concluded, "Seemingly small waterwise changes at a household level make a huge difference across the community and help ensure collective water security into the future." Perth, once known for reliable rainfall throughout the year, now experiences below-average falls during the shoulder seasons of autumn and spring.
