Split levels for Waipā district
Water restrictions begin in Te Awamutu and Pirongia tomorrow (1 December) but other parts of the district are without restrictions - for now.
Waipa District Council has advised Water Alert Level 1 will be in place from Saturday in Pirongia and Te Awamutu, meaning sprinklers can only be used between 6 - 8am and 6 - 8pm. Hand-held hosing is still allowed at any time. Other parts of the district, including Cambridge and Kihikihi do not face restrictions yet, but the situation could quickly change said water services manager Tony Hale.
Te Awamutu and Pirongia's water comes from the Mangauika Stream. In the summer months, the stream struggles to keep up with demand. Despite rainfall in the past week, we haven't seen enough rain near the stream's catchment and it's already looking low for this time of year.
On the other hand Cambridge is in a far better situation than previous summers and Kihikihi's water comes from two underground bores.
Upgrades to Cambridge's water treatment plant were completed earlier in the year and its increased capacity is keeping up with demand, Hale said. Water meters had also played a huge part in reducing consumption across the district, driving use down by 20 per cent.
That's not to say the rest of the district should feel they can use water recklessly. We're in for a long, hot summer and we all need to consider how much water we are using.
Hale asked Te Awamutu and Pirongia to bear with us for a bit longer as the Council already has a programme and funding in place to address water supply issues. The work will also address taste and odour issues sometimes experienced during the summer.
We've got plans for a pipeline to connect Te Awamutu to the Cambridge supply which is scheduled for completion in 2021. This will increase our capacity for the western side of the district, but we need to keep our water use down while that work is done.
Hamilton city and the whole of Waikato district will also move to Water Alert Level 1 on 1 December.
About the Water Alert Level system:
Water Alert Level 1
- Use sprinkler systems between 6 - 8am and 6 - 8pm.
- Hand-held hosing can be used anytime.
Water Alert Level 2
- Use sprinkler systems on alternate days between 6 - 8am and 6 - 8pm.
- Hand-held hosing can be used anytime.
Water Alert Level 3
- No use of sprinklers.
- Hand-held hosing only.
Water Alert Level 4
- No use of outside water systems.
The Smart Water Starts with You! sub-regional summer campaign aims to make long-term change to how we use water and is a joint venture between Waikato District Council, Hamilton City Council, and Waipa District Council.
Smart Water has an e-newsletter to let you know when your alert level changes and other water-saving tips. Sign up at smartwater.org.nz/subscribe.