When it's dry and lots of people are ordering water at the same time, our delivery system may become congested, which can lead to water delivery delays.
There are two ways we handle this:
- Option one: Rescheduling orders (preferred option)
We may reschedule and delay deliveries, so everyone still gets the full amount of water they ordered. This option can cause long wait times.
- Option two: Rationing (last resort)
If rescheduling orders gets to a point where it becomes ineffective, and the delays are becoming extreme, we may need to start rationing. This means limiting how much water each customer can take, based on their delivery shares.
What are delivery shares?
Delivery shares are entitlements that guarantee access to water in the delivery system during rationing.
You can find your delivery shares on WaterLINE, Water Register Delivery Share Copy of Record, Water Usage Statement, or by calling GMW.
For more information, please see our Delivery share information page.
How rationing works
If your area is rationed, you’ll be allowed to take a set percentage of your delivery shares over a certain number of days (called a rationing cycle). The amount and length of the cycle depend on how overloaded the system is and how long it’s expected to stay that way.
For more information, check out our Rationing cycle explanation page.
Important notes
- Delivery shares are tied to specific service points (outlets), so how much you can order depends on the service points’ share.
- You can vary or transfer your delivery share rate (ML/day) by filling out a Form 35 or 36.
- We will notify you if rationing begins or changes.
- If you try to order more than your allowed amount during rationing, WaterLINE will let you know.
Video - What is rationing?