Central Highlands Water last week announced Clunes was moving Stage One to Stage Two water restrictions, effective immediately.

A rule banning watering lawns and automatic watering systems is included in the changes.

Diminishing ground water supplies are the cause of the new restrictions.

The ground water supply was introduced to customers in March 2005, but tests have revealed a slight drop in the water table.

Before 2005, Clunes was supplied by Newlyn Reservoir.

Hepburn Shire Council Cameron Ward Councillor Tim Hayes said the new rules wouldn't have a significant effect on the town's gardens.

"We are lucky enough to have ground water, most other towns in the shire are on equal or higher restrictions," Cr Hayes said.

Daylesford is currently on Stage Three restrictions.

Hepburn Shire residents are still being urged to conserve water, despite good rainfalls on the weekend.

Central Highlands Water says another 300 million litres of water is now in the region's storages, boosting them to 12.7 per cent capacity.

The corporation's marketing manager Phil Anstis said customers still need to be water wise until the middle of next year when the Goldfields Superpipe is due to be completed.

"We have a lot of projects out there, particularly with large customers and we are doing a lot on our unaccounted water losses through the system as well," Mr Anstis said.

"So a lot of effort is happening through a lot of people right across the system to make sure it's sustainable and the rain was just an unexpected bonus for us."

THE RULES AT A GLANCE

RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL GARDEN OR LAWN

Lawn areas must not be watered. A garden area may only be watered using:

a manual watering system between 6am and 8am and 8pm and 10pm on alternate days

an automatic watering system between midnight and 4am on alternate days

or a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, or watering can or bucket filled either by a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, or directly from a tap, at any time.

PUBLIC GARDEN AND LAWN: Lawn areas must not be watered. A garden area may be watered using:

a manual watering system between 6am and 10am and 8pm and midnight on alternate days;

by an automatic watering system between midnight and 8am on alternate days;

a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, or watering can or bucket filled either by a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, or directly from a tap, at any time.

Garden and lawn areas may be watered in accordance with a Water Conservation Plan approved by Central Highlands Water.