About restrictions What stage of water restrictions are we in? We are in Stage 3a water restrictions. We have achieved significant savings in Stage 3a - reducing water consumption by 16% in 2007 compared to 2006 and exceeding water savings anticipated under Melbourne's Drought Response Plan. The estimated annual savings in the Drought Response Plan for Stages 3a and 4 are 15% and 17.5% respectively. Melbourne's per capita water use is 34% lower than in the mid 1990s. Specific information about water restrictions  Lawns cannot be watered by residents, businesses and local councils. There are some exempt playing surfaces that can be watered. Manual dripper systems can be used between 6 am - 8 am on your watering days.* Hand-held hoses fitted with a trigger nozzle, watering cans and buckets can be used to water gardens between 6 am – 8 am on your watering days.* Households with at least one resident aged 70 years or over may water their gardens manually on specified watering days between 6 am - 8 am  or 8 am - 10 am. Automatic dripper systems can be used between midnight - 2 am on your watering days.* * Even numbered houses can water on Saturday and Tuesday. Odd numbered can water on Sunday and Wednesday. There is no watering on Monday, Thursday and Friday. Cars may only be washed at an efficient commercial car wash that uses 70 litres of water or less per vehicle. A bucket filled from a tap can be used to clean car windows, mirrors and lights; and to spot-remove corrosive substances. A new pool or spa of any size capacity cannot be filled with drinking water. However, a new or existing swimming pool or spa may be filled with an alternative water source such as approved groundwater. Why didn't we go straight to Stage 4? By remaining in Stage 3a water restrictions rather than Stage 4, we are minimising the impact on industries affected by water restrictions, protecting jobs and allowing community activities such as sport to continue.