ACTEW eyes tougher water restrictions

Canberrans could soon be facing tougher water restrictions, including a ban on sprinklers, hosing down paved areas and filling up pools.

ACTEW says stage two restrictions are likely to come into effect in November.

Under stage two, sprinklers will be banned except on weekends, paved areas can only be hosed down in an emergency and pools cannot be emptied or filled without permission.

Hand watering will be allowed between 7:00am and 10:00am and at night using the odds and evens system.

ACTEW's Michael Costello says the company has chosen to introduce stage two now to avoid tougher restrictions down the track.

"By going in straight up with this level of restrictions, it very significantly minimises the possibility of having to go to even tougher levels of restrictions later on," he said.

He says if there is a spike in water consumption and no decent rain, the bans could be introduced in the next few weeks.