AUSTRALIA: Water Use Restriction Eased for Elderly

BRISBANE, Queensland (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), July 23, 2006: Nearly 300,000 south-east Queensland residents will be allowed a little relief from the region's tough water restrictions, with concessions announced for those aged over 70 or with a disability. From early next month, they will be allowed to use a hose to water their garden for one hour each week. Water commissioner Elizabeth Nosworthy says under current level three restrictions doctors are being inundated by requests for medical certificates for exemptions from watering restrictions. The new concession will alleviate the situation, she said. Premier Peter Beattie says for some people lifting a bucket of water is not just physically challenging but also dangerous. The concession will make restrictions fairer as "our senior citizens, who are quite responsible, or people who have got some form of disability, will be able to do the watering without imposing some physical impediment on them," he said. Ms Nosworthy says the impact on water supplies is expected to be very small. "This is an issue of practicality - our view is that it won't make a material difference to the usage of water in the community," she said. © 2006 Australian Broadcasting Corporation