Residents will be able to water gardens between 6am and 8am, and 6pm and 8pm on allocated watering days instead of the previous 5pm to 7pm.

Wodonga and Victorian towns covered by stage 2 restrictions will not be changed.

Albury residents can’t water on Monday, Thursday, Friday.

Odd-number houses can water on Sunday and Wednesday, and the even and no-numbers on Saturday and Tuesday.

Timed systems can operate midnight to 4am.

No watering of lawns from tapwater is allowed any time.

Albury and neighbouring NSW shires on the Murray expect Water Minister Phil Costa to make an announcement soon about their stage 3 restrictions.

Regional councils’ executive officer Ray Stubbs said yesterday the councils had urged Mr Costa to introduce some flexibility, if only to protect sports grounds and garden lawns.

NSW has allowed the Murray River towns only 50 per cent of their normal allocations of water for the financial year.

North East Water is committed to maintaining stage 2 restrictions until the end of November.