Watering Parks
The Town Council regularly reviews its water use in maintaining ovals and parks. It has developed the use of water from the Town Basin the body of subterranean water under the town centre and Gap area.
Town Basin water is used to water a number of the town’s ovals and parks. These include Anzac Oval, Larapinta Oval, Traeger Park, Gillen Park, Civic Centre, Rotary Park, Prickle Park, Newland Park, Sturt Terrace and Ross Park.
As far as is reasonably possible the Council waters after dark in support of water conservation and the water-after-eight campaign.

Water sources
While the Town Basin is being used for watering parks and ovals, we depend on the Roe Creek borefield for drinking water.
The Town Basin replenishes or recharges through rain when the Todd River flows.
However Roe Creek cannot replenish at the rate we use it and its level drops by one to two
metres per year. That is 10 million kilolitres every year or 200,000 average size swimming pools.
Latest water use fi gures from the Water Services Association of Australia (2005-06) indicate that average annual household water use in Alice Springs is 535 kilolitres or around 1,500 litres per day (for a whole household). This equates to approximately 500 - 600 litres per day for individuals. Residents also use water while not at home, such as at work, or the car wash. In addition, home water audits have found that some households use 1,500 kilolitres a year.
If we all reduce the amount of water we use the need for new infrastructure such as bores and sewerage storage ponds can be postponed.

How you can help
Reporting vandalism of sprinkler systems will assist the Council in reducing water use and costs. Phone 8950 0500 or 8950 0545.

How to save water
• The Council recommends reducing grass
areas where possible and planting native
trees and shrubs to reduce water usage.
• Wash your clothes only when you have a full
load. Washing machines use about 150 litres
of water on a full load.
• If you are buying a new washing machine
– go for a front loading machine or a twin
tub, as both types use less water than the top
loading versions.
• Have a bath if you want to relax, not a long
shower which will waste about 200 litres.
• Clean you footpaths or concrete with a broom
not a hose – 5 minutes of that will use about
100 litres! (10 buckets of water).
• Make sure taps are turned off properly.
A dripping tap can lose about 30 litres a day
(3 buckets of water).
• Don’t drown you plants in water every day. A
good soak twice a week is all the garden will
need and it will toughen up the lawn and your
plants.
• Water when it’s cool and not too windy.
• Water the roots not the leaves.
• Use a timer for a sprinkler as a forgotten
sprinkler will use about 1,000 litres of water
per hour (100 buckets of water).
• Use good mulch to reduce evaporation.