Lack of rain brings more water restrictions

Level 3 water restrictions banning the use of hoses, sprinklers or irrigation systems will be applied to Kaikohe and Ngāwhā from Monday 25 March after flows in the Wairoro Stream, the town’s primary water source, dropped to minimum levels allowed.

Flows in the Wairoro Stream fell quickly this week, from a flow rate of 19.5 litres per second on Monday to just 13 litres per second on Wednesday (20 March). That is the minimum rate allowed by Northland Regional Council’s consent. The aim of consent rules is to protect the ecology of the waterway and to reserve capacity for downstream users.

Level 2 water restrictions will also be applied to Kawakawa and Moerewa from Monday, due to decreasing flows in the Tirohanga Stream. Level 2 water restrictions ban the use of sprinklers and irrigation systems, although watering gardens with handheld hoses and buckets is allowed. The aim of both restriction levels is to reduce consumption and protect the water sources.

Reduced flows in both the Wairoro and Tirohanga streams come after little significant rainfall in the district for several months. This means levels in waterways and bores have not had a chance to recover from this year’s hot summer.

The council is working with Tai Tokerau Water to access the Matawii Dam as a back-up water supply for Kaikohe and Ngāwhā. It is anticipated that infrastructure required to make this happen will be installed by the middle of next week. Before the dam water can be added to the town supply it must be tested to ensure it meets NZ Water Safety Standards. Samples have been taken and test results are expected by Wednesday.

The Matawii reservoir, at nearby Ngāwhā, has been developed to benefit local businesses, residents and to be used as a back-up for Kaikohe’s water supply.

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA Taihoro Nukurangi) has forecast little rain in coming weeks, and this was a key factor in the council’s Water Shortage Management Committee decision to apply new water restrictions.

Large ‘Save Water Now’ signs will be posted at key locations in Kawakawa and Moerewa from Monday to raise awareness among residents and visitors that Level 2 water restrictions apply.

Level 3 restrictions in Kaikohe will see new eye-level ‘Supplies are low’ signs installed around the town. These will complement large ‘Save Water Now’ signs already posted at key locations in Kaikohe. Retail signs using the familiar water glass imagery, will be updated to Level 3 on Monday to help publicise the water restriction level change.  

These latest changes will take the number of water supplies in the Far North with Level 2 water restrictions to five (out of eight supplies) and one at Level 3. The remaining two water sources at Kaitāia and Ōkaihau will stay at Level 1 (no restrictions), but customers are reminded to always use water sensibly.

Level 2 water restrictions were first applied to Ōmanaia-Rāwene in January this year with another four council water sources hitting trigger levels for water restrictions in February.

The Water Shortage Management Committee continues to monitor the health of water sources and water demand.

Water restrictions this summer:

Level 3

• Kaikohe-Ngāwhā

Level 2

• Kawakawa-Moerewa
• Kerikeri-Waipapa
• Paihia-Ōpua-Waitangi
• Ōpononi-Ōmāpere
• Ōmanaia-Rāwene

 

You can stay up to date with current water restriction levels by checking our water supplies webpage and bewaterwise.org.nz/.