The New South Wales state government has fast-tracked the implementation of Level 2 water restrictions as the state's dam levels drop faster than expected amid ongoing drought.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the restrictions and says they will be enforced.
What are level 2 restrictions and who will they apply to?
The restrictions will come into effect on the 10th of December 2019 and, as Sydney Water senior advisor Peter Hadfield explains, will affect how people use water outside the house.
Watering the garden and washing the family car will be seriously restricted, Mr Hadfield says, and everyone is going to have to put their water hose and water sprinklers away.
The restrictions will apply to residents living in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains to the west and the Illawarra region, south of Sydney.
How will they be policed - and are there fines?
Sydney Water officers have already been working in the community to ensure people comply with current water restrictions. Mr Hadfield warns there are serious consequences for breaking restrictions.
The fines, he explains, range from AUD 220 for individuals to AUD 550 for businesses.
The fast-tracked restrictions are the state's response to the lack of rain and predictions of a long, hot summer. The greater Sydney dam levels are currently at 46.1 per cent and are expected to drop to 45 per cent by December.
While typically Level 2 restrictions would only be introduced when dams drop to 40 per cent, Premier Berejiklian says the government is being pro-active, given the on-going drought which makes water conservation essential.
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Do the water restrictions apply inside our homes, too?
The short answer is, no. However, Mr Hadfield urges people to be frugal with their water use, not just outdoors but inside our homes and businesses as well.
As he explains, three-quarters of all the residential use of water is indoors. So there's huge potential to help conserve water and improve dam levels within the Sydney catchment.
Examples include running the dishwasher only when it's fully loaded and cutting each shower by a minute. Imagine the effect, Mr Hadfield says, if you multiply this by five million residents!
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