Sports club to face water restrictions

Local sporting clubs will be subjected to new watering guidelines in a bid to balance the need to maintain safe playing fields against Queensland's dwindling water supply.

Local sporting clubs will be subjected to new watering guidelines in a bid to balance the need to maintain safe playing fields against Queensland's dwindling water supply.

“Under the new Active Playing Surface Guidelines local sport clubs will be able to establish exactly how much town water they will be allocated between 16 November 2007 and 30 April 2008,” Sports Minister Judy Spence said.

“Sports ovals and pitches need to continue to be appropriately maintained to ensure people playing on these fields do not unnecessarily injure themselves, yet we need to be mindful of water consumption.

“This new policy will allow clubs to plan a water schedule which will keep playing fields in a condition suitable for play while reducing the amount of water used on sporting pitches.

“Clubs will still be able to water their fields and can change their watering schedules as desired as long as they don’t use more water than they are allocated by the Queensland Water Commission.

“The Department of Sport and Recreation has worked very closely with peak sporting bodies, to ensure these guidelines are workable.

“Clubs will be allowed to use their full allocation during their sporting season, while during their off-season they will be allowed half their allocation.”

“In our worst drought on record we don’t want to turn the tap off completely on sporting clubs because maintaining a suitable sporting field is important for player safety,” Ms Spence said.

“While clubs will have to watch their water consumption and in some cases reduce the amount of water they use, it is a much better option than not being allowed to water at all.

Ms Spence said major sporting venues will also be subjected to the new guidelines.

“Major sports facilities such as Suncorp Stadium and the Gabba are not exempt from the guidelines just because professional sport is played there and they will have to adhere to their water allocations,” Ms Spence said.

Clubs will have their water limits reviewed at the end of April 2008 and if we have had enough rain by then they may be lifted.

Information for local clubs on these new guidelines can be found on the Queensland Water Commission website

Originally published as Sports club to face water restrictions