The problem is most acute in large cities, such as Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, which account for more than two-thirds of Australia's 20 million population and where reservoirs are less than half full after four years of drought.

But the Green Industries Group, representing industries such as landscaping, horticulture and irrigation, said some 5,900 jobs had been lost in the Sydney region alone since mandatory restrictions were introduced last October.

Even tougher restrictions on the use of garden watering systems and hoses for washing driveways and vehicles, were introduced from June 1, with the likely loss of even more jobs, employers say.

The group has written to federal and state governments appealing for help to save jobs and complaining that their industries had been unfairly targeted while other industries had not been forced to restrict their water use.

Group spokesman Don Ainsworth said water restrictions now ranked as one of the biggest threats to employment but that nothing had been done to protect jobs.

He accused the state government of New South Wales, which includes Sydney, of targeting their industries while refusing to impose restrictions on others using more than 90 percent of the water.

"The minister refuses to limit the waste of water in the motor industry, construction industry, and the tourism industry, to name a few," he said.

Ainsworth said his group feared its industry would hemorrhage more jobs in the coming months as Sydney dam levels continued to drop.

"We expect the job loss to escalate in the coming months as stage two restrictions bite, and as the minister panics when he realises his restrictions are not saving water," he said.

A report by Canberra's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation warned that water shortages would intensify because of global warming and that by 2030 there would be reduced rainfall and around double the number of very hot summer days in some states.

SPACE.WIRE