Two week wait to fill the water tanks for some Auckland homeowners as summer scorcher bites

The big dry has left some residents in the Auckland region looking skyward - as tank water supplies dwindle and heavy demand slows truck refills.

Some living in areas to the north and west of Auckland face a two week wait until their tanks can be replenished, with the lack of decent rainfall in recent weeks seeing tanks run out.

Waitoki resident Sandra Roberts is among those awaiting a much-needed supply to her lifestyle block, which is 40km north-west of Auckland.

On Friday her tank dried up. Now she's showering at friends' places, using water from the swimming pool to flush the loo and hoping her plants don't die after discovering huge demand for supplied water means her tank won't be filled until at least Tuesday.

"When it ran out we thought 'well, we'll ring around [for a water supplier]'. It's usually not an issue."

But it was an issue.

"Some of the companies were quoting a week. One company said there are 60 people on their waiting list."

Alans Water Supply owner Alan Salkeld can top that.

He's got 120 jobs ahead of him.

Many weren't prepared for the dry snap that's followed a wet winter, especially those new to living out of town.

"New rural residents are not checking their tanks."

His customers have a two-day wait, but that could double if it doesn't rain in the next week.

Salkeld services Albany, Coatesville and Dairy Flat, had received calls for help from West Auckland and Helensville, the latter of which he had heard was subject to a two-week wait for water.

An answer phone message at Kaukapakapa-based Wagon Water 1, which covers the Helensville area, stated the wait time was now 14 days and messages may take some time to respond to.

Waitoki resident Sandra Roberts is among those awaiting a much-needed supply to her lifestyle block. Photo / Greg Bowker

Salkeld said supplies for water carriers were good, but demand meant long waits at filling stations.

That cut the number of customers he could help each day.

Hibiscus Water co-owner Jodie Norwood said the company was booked up until Wednesday, with about 190 jobs.

Norwood said many residents in Whangaparaoa were still on tank water and people were running out after two weeks without rain.

Norwood said it was worse around Warkworth and further north because residents couldn't get suppliers.

Most of the country has been basking in unseasonably hot weather for the past 10 days, with temperatures soaring to 30 degrees in parts of the North Island last week and South Island yesterday.

More sunshine is forecast for much of New Zealand today, before the high which has brought the golden weather moves off the country. Showers are forecast for the start of the week.

The upper part of the North Island was likely to get the most rainfall.

Restrictions were imposed on Napier residents on Monday before being eased two days later, and those in nearby Hastings have been told they can only water the garden every second day.

A sprinkler restriction is in place in Hamilton and a sprinkler ban is in place in Wellington.