Level four water restrictions will start in Dubbo on Friday but the rules could be changed by Monday.
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Dubbo Regional Council has a set list of what is and isn't permitted under the restrictions, based on the Drought Management Plan of the former Dubbo City and Wellington councils.
On Monday night, three days after the restrictions have already been in place, councillors will vote on changes to that plan.
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The proposed changed were released late on Thursday afternoon but can't be enacted until passed by the council.
If approved, one of the main changes will allow residents to water both their gardens and lawns. As it currently stands, only gardens can be watered under level four restrictions.
In the new plan, watering can be done for a maximum of 30 minutes on Wednesdays or Sundays outside of 9am and 6pm.
Watering of new turf will also be allowed, while paved surfaces can be washed down with a bucket.
The target for each person's daily water use has also been changed. It is currently 245 litres of water per person per day. Council wants to change it to a 280L target on level four and then 240L on level five.
In a statement released on Thursday afternoon, Dubbo Regional Council chief executive officer Michael McMahon said the changes would simplify restrictions while allowing people to keep their gardens alive.
"The report also looks at watering methods and has determined that the best way to water lawns is to use either a water efficient drip or fixed timed/ programmable smart water system, or handheld hoses fitted with an on/off trigger nozzle," Mr McMahon said.
"We aren't banning any type of watering device, we understand that a lot of people have purchased new watering devices under the guidance of existing restrictions. We are however enforcing the chosen device or system either has a fixed timer or is attended by the resident or business owner for their allocated watering time."
The proposed changes will go before the council meeting on Monday night. The meeting will be held in the Dubbo chambers from 5.30pm and live-streamed on council's website and Facebook page.