Watering is prohibited under stage-four water restrictions, but the soccer field, equestrian surface and trees and plants will benefit from the onsite watering system.

Creswick Ward councillor Janine Booth said the grant would enable a long-term solution for watering.

"While we will still be relying on rain, this funding will enable us to install tanks and piping from the facility to capture rain and storm water that is currently not being utilised," she said.

"We can now store this water onsite for watering the soccer fields and for watering trees and plants on the ground and to dampen the dust of the sand equestrian surface."

Cr Booth said the grass soccer fields had only been formed last year and nearly all the turf had died.

"This will enable the clubs to be prepared for dry times," she said.

The onsite watering system has been made available from the government's Drought Relief for Country Sports Program with 31 grants provided statewide.

Ballarat East MLA Geoff Howard said the management plan would save up to 40 per cent of the water currently used to irrigate the two playing surfaces.

"This grant will help maintain these playing areas suffering under the present water restrictions by using collected rain water," he said.

Mr Howard said country sporting clubs were vital to the fabric of local communities.

"Councils are being encouraged to look to alternative sources of water for sports grounds in these extreme local drought conditions such as recycled water and better use of storm water," he said.

The council's recreation and tourism manager Geoff Ryan said the council had worked with user groups to apply for the funding.

"It will go a long way towards keeping the ground in playable condition during the drought," he said.

"Sport and recreation are vital in country communities, particularly in tough times, like we are experiencing due to the current drought, and it is vital that activities can proceed."

Mr Ryan said the council would be working with other sporting groups to pursue funding options for other projects.