Water use reaches danger levels across Western Bay district

Water use across the whole district had reached alarming levels in the past 10 days. Photo / File

The Western Bay District is on water use alert with an increasing likelihood of restrictions in the Eastern Zone of Te Puke by Christmas Day.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council said in a statement today water use across the whole district had reached alarming levels in the past 10 days and they had raised its water warning to high, effective immediately, across all communities.

Unless water use drops considerably this week, the council would be forced to bring in restrictions (hand-held hoses only) in the Eastern Zone by Christmas Day.

The council's utilities manager Kelvin Hill said water use had increased by 30 per cent in the last 10 days and was putting immense strain on reservoir capacity in the Western and Central zones but capacity was at critical levels in the Eastern Zone of Te Puke, Maketū and the surrounding areas.

Reservoirs must maintain a constant 50 per cent minimum water level to meet the daily demands for drinking water, but in some instances capacity had dropped to 25 per cent in recent days.

With no rain in the last fortnight and no significant rain in forecast in the foreseeable future, Hill said the situation was extremely concerning and he pleaded with people to do everything they could to reduce their water use for everything but essential needs.

"We appreciate that many of our residents are already doing their bit to conserve water – but with Christmas upon us and the surge of holidaymakers about to arrive, we simply have to get the message out loud and clear that we will be in trouble unless we start reducing use immediately.

"If demand in the Eastern Zone of Te Puke and surrounding areas doesn't reduce this week – we will put a sprinkler ban in place by Christmas Day with the possibility of tougher restrictions soon after," he said.

The council will be directly contacting its larger water consumers to ask them to be prudent on use.

More information on how to conserve water here.