Making sure the greens remained green cost the Ranfurly Bowling Club an extra $1150 this year, thanks to the introduction of water metering in Central Otago.
The club's application for a grant to help pay its excess water charges was turned down by the Maniototo Community Board at last week's meeting.
President Bruce French said the extra charge had been incurred due to the nature of the sport and the club was changing its flood irrigation system to a spray one to use water more efficiently.
"We have to keep two greens going so we can host tournaments.
"It will cost $16,000 to convert the irrigation system to one which provides a more efficient use of water, but in the meantime we've still exceeded our water allocation," he said.
Water metering to encourage water conservation applies in most Central Otago towns.
Community boards decide on the annual allocation of water for users connected to each town supply.
Any use above that figure attracts a charge.
Domestic, commercial users and sports groups are allocated the same amount.
"I do sympathise with you and your club," Maniototo board chairman Richard Smith told Mr French.
"But we have to realise that effectively, the rest of the ratepayers have been subsidising the water that you use ..."
Board member Sue Umbers said giving the bowling club a grant would set a dangerous precedent.
"If we do it for the bowling club, we'll have to do it for everyone and there's a lot of sports clubs out there."
She suggested the club should instead apply for a grant to help it convert its irrigation system.
Mr French said the amount of water allocated did not go very far, when used for irrigation.
"It was a dry year, so we probably used about a quarter more water than normal and there wasn't much rain to supplement the growth."
The club had about 50 members, most of them senior citizens, and if the water charges continued to rise, it would make things even more difficult for the club, he said.
Board member Barry Becker said the issue of sports clubs being charged for the extra water they needed for irrigation was something that every individual community board within Central Otago would have to sort out.
