13 December 2010
Low rainfall and hot weather have forced Waipa District Council to impose a level-two water restriction on the district from December 16 until further notice.
The level-two restriction places a complete ban on the use of garden sprinklers.
Waipa District Council’s group manager service delivery Barry Bergin said Council was being extremely cautious following the drought of 2007-08, when water restrictions went from none to level-three – a complete ban on outdoor water use – overnight.
He said water consumption levels across the district had been “average”. While consumption was not at an all-time high, more needed to be done to reduce water use.
From November 1 to December 8 this year, daily water use in the district peaked at 37 million litres. At the same time last year, in different weather conditions, daily water use peaked at 28.5 million litres.
Current weather conditions and supply and storage capabilities meant Council needed to act now, Mr Bergin said.
“Banning sprinklers is not a decision that has been made lightly, but we don’t want to find ourselves in a water crisis situation again.”
“By gradually increasing water restrictions alongside our summer water conservation campaign, we hope that water consumption will reduce and ease pressure on the district’s water storage and supply.”
He added that the public’s response to the 2007-08 drought was “extremely supportive”. Water use reduced overnight and was sustained throughout the summer. He hopes that people will remember that year, and take the sprinkler ban seriously.
He said hand-held hoses were not banned, and people could continue to water their gardens using the hose. The sprinkler ban also applies to council’s parks and gardens staff.
Water supplies in the Waipa district come from a number of sources.
Te Awamutu’s only water source is from the Mangauika Stream. The council requires a resource consent from Environment Waikato to draw water from the stream.
In summer when water use is high and rainfall low, the stream’s water level is at its lowest. The council is limited to the amount of water it can draw.
Cambridge has three sources of water, including the Waikato River. Mr Bergin said it was difficult for people to understand that the town still needed to conserve water when the Waikato River was high.
“When water demand is high, the storage capacity for treated water barely keeps up with demand. River levels are also determined by the hydro power generator, Mighty River Power,” he said.
If water consumption rates reduced and the district received a significant amount of rainfall over the Christmas and New Year holiday periods, the water alert may come back down he said.
“If consumption levels don’t drop and this dry weather continues, we could also be looking at a level-three restriction.”
For more information, please contact:
Jacqui Humm
Ph: 07 872 0062 or 027 532 1760
Email: Jacqui.humm@waipadc.govt.nz