The water wise rules were adopted by Albury Council this week even though the city has a 100 per cent allocation and restrictions haven’t been imposed in the last decade.

No financial penalty will be imposed on those breaking the water wise rules.

But Cr David Thurley said the measures were responsible actions given the low rainfall experienced this year, below average inflows into Lake Hume and summer about to start.

“The outlook from the Bureau of Meteorology is that is going to continue,” he said.

“This initiative to talk to our community and educate our community is absolutely essential because things are going to get worse.

“We don’t need the heavy hand, we simply need education so I think this is a great start.”

The measures also come against the backdrop of Albury’s long term water use average dropping from 9200 to 8100 megalitres per year and also includes the water supplied to Great Hume Shire for its villages water supply scheme.

The city’s population has also increased from 42,614 in 1991 to 50,760 in 2016.

Current demand indicates about 8100 of the 12,345 megalitres available will be used in the 2018-19 water year.

According to Albury’s water billing statistics residential usage accounts for 73.5 per cent of total volume of water supplied with 35 per cent of this amount used outdoors.

Deputy mayor Amanda Cohn described the water wise rules as being “entirely reasonable”.

“I think it’s really important to have that conversation with our community so we appreciate our water is a really valuable resource and something not to be wasted whether is a good year or a bad year.”

Cr John Stuchbery said further leadership could come with water tanks attached to all council-owned buildings to harvest rainwater.