Water Restrictions in Whangarei

Despite a small amount of rain last night the water level at Whau Valley Dam continues to hover around a 16-year low of 50% and water restrictions will be imposed in Whangarei from 5pm tomorrow (Thursday 15 April).

Despite a small amount of rain last night the water level at Whau Valley Dam continues to hover around a 16-year low of 50% and water restrictions will be imposed in Whangarei from 5pm tomorrow (Thursday 15 April).

Under the restrictions garden hoses must not be used for watering gardens or for cleaning. Water blasting, using sprinkler systems and topping-up swimming pools are also out.

The ban applies to Council's Whau Valley Dam water supply area that extends throughout the city, north to Hikurangi, east to Urquhart's Bay (Whangarei Heads), south to Portland/Puwera, and west to Poroti. Water restrictions also apply to the Council water supply at Mangapai. It does not apply to the Bream Bay area serviced by Wilson's Dam or the Maungakaramea township.

In addition to the water restrictions Council has closed its filling station at Okara Drive and all tanker water must now be obtained from the Ruakaka filling point.

Whangarei District Council Chief Executive Mark Simpson said Whangarei residents had been very responsible to date and Council will continue to work with the community to get the best result out of the restrictions.

"Compulsory water restrictions inevitably impact local businesses and the District and region's economy and some businesses are affected more than others. We will require garden centres to stop automatic sprinkler systems and will be working with other businesses that are very water dependent.

"There will be some exceptions to the ban. Hygiene, health and safety and animal welfare issues must be respected and we will work with anyone who raises an issue with us. I encourage people to call our Water Services staff if they have any questions."

"Our staff and contractors will approach anyone seen to be breaching the ban and speak to them directly. Primarily we will work with people, although there are a number of measures we can take if water is being used irresponsibly. These include reducing the flow of water to the user or Council can instigate legal action which can result in a conviction and a fine of up to $20,000."

Mr Simpson said the Aquatic Centre would continue to operate and Council would maintain major public assets and amenities such as cricket wickets, the new Okara Park turf and the turf at the new running track and Kamo's number 1 soccer field. Laurie Hall Park will continue to be watered until Anzac Day.

Mr Simpson said Council had delayed water restrictions for as long as possible.

"We have been able to get this far into autumn without restrictions, by balancing water consumption between streams and Whau Valley Dam during the summer and promoting voluntary water savings, but with a dry autumn we have little option but to restrict water use now.

"The river and groundwater levels were high at the beginning of summer but as the drought has continued the river levels have fallen. People have made an effort and water consumption has dropped from the summer's highest use at 23,000 cubic metres a day, to 18,000, but we need to really crack down on water use now.

"Now we are drawing much more from the dam and the level has been falling at an average of half a percent a day.

"There is no need to panic but there is a need for everyone to take the situation very, very seriously and save every drop of water."

For more information please contact Whangarei District Council Infrastructure and Services Group Manager Simon Weston on 4304205 or 027 4464965

Please find below a table that provides more detail on the water restrictions:

 

Domestic Properties

Restriction	Exceptions
No garden activities with hose	Filling stock troughs
No cleaning / washing of cars or boats with hose	Clean using bucket only. For boat engine run through use hose for max 2 minutes
No garden sprinkler systems	Drip/underground irrigation
No water blasting	None
No deck or driveway cleaning with hose	Bucket only
No window cleaning with hose	Bucket only
No filling or topping up of swimming/spa pools, ponds	Tanker delivery to be sourced from Ruakaka Filling Point

 

 

Commercial Properties

Restriction	Exceptions
No cleaning or irrigation with hose	Bucket only or direct irrigation for plant nurseries
No Water blasting	Only with water sourced from Ruakaka Filling point
No Commercial car washing	Except by permission of WDC
No Commercial truck washing	Except by permission of WDC
No filling or topping up of swimming pools	Only with tanker delivery sourced from Ruakaka Filling Point
	Whangarei Aquatic Centre

 

 

Public Assets and Filling Points

Restriction	Exceptions
No use of sprinklers or hand held hoses in parks and reserves	Okara Park, Kensington Athletic Track Inner Field, Kamo No 1 Soccer Field, Cricket Wickets, Laurie Hall Park until Anzac Day.
No Truck / tanker filling from Okara Drive	Emergency only - all other filling from Ruakaka filling point
All metered standpipes recalled	Use Ruakaka Filling Point only

 

The areas affected include all properties on town supply in the following locations

Mangapai
Poroti
Maungatapere
Portland 
Puwera
Otaika Valley
Cemetery Road
Te Hape 
Whangarei City
Whangarei Heads
Vinegar Hill
Hikurangi

Areas NOT affected are

Maungakaramea
Bream Bay