December rain greens up Townsville
Date published: 5 January 2024
Close to 100mm of rain fell across Townsville during December and the Bureau of Meteorology has predicted more is on the way for January.
Acting Mayor Mark Molachino said it was time for locals to take advantage of the wet weather and to turn off their sprinklers and irrigation.
“Townsville is looking green and lush at the moment and most of our lawns and garden don’t need any more water,” Cr Molachino said.
“Our city is one of the highest users of water per person in Australia, and more than 70 per cent of the water Council treats is being put onto lawns and gardens.
“We want to make Townsville a water wise city, and one of the easiest ways to do that is by only watering our lawns and gardens twice a week in the dry and never in the wet.
“There is a mistaken belief that the more water you use the healthier your lawn will be, when really over watering can do more harm than good by encouraging shallow and fragile root growth in poor soils.
Cr Molachino said there were a range of resources available on Council’s website to help locals grow strong, healthy and resilient lawns.
“We have easy-to-follow videos, fact sheets, guides and more available online which are free and available to anyone,” he said.
“They give some key information to ensure lawns become less water dependant and more resilient year-round, such as building biological activity in soil and improving infiltration and water holding capacity of soil.
“The resources cover off on everything from how best to water, mowing tips, irrigation knowledge and how to read your water meter to name a few.
“There’s also a heap of information and tips on how to reduce water use inside the home.”
Visit Our Water Smart City page for more information on how to reduce water use.
