Western Bay residents given week extension on water restriction decision

If restrictions were necessary in a week's time, it would mean a total ban on all sprinklers and hand-held watering. Photo / File

Western Bay residents have been given one week's notice before a decision is made on water restrictions for the district.

Initially, the decision was set to be made today but the council has chosen to extend this.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council utilities manager Kelvin Hill was optimistic that residents would continue their efforts to curb their water.

However, he said if restrictions were necessary in a week's time, it would mean a total ban on all sprinklers and hand-held watering.

Residents in the Te Puna, Minden and Omokoroa area continued to be the highest users with reservoirs struggling to maintain a 50 per cent minimum level for daily demand for drinking water.

Consumption in the Te Puke and Maketū areas had also risen in recent days.

The council had directly contacted users with larger connections asking them to urgently conserve use and was again urging all other users to do their utmost to use as little water as possible.

"If this scorching weather continues and our consumptions rates keep going up at the current level, we will have no option but to bring in a total ban on sprinklers and hand-held hosing," Hill said.

The council had reduced its own use of water sprinklers as much as possible over its community reserves. People were urged to contact the council immediately if they noticed any water running from leaks or main breaks.

Hill said everyone needed to put "even more focus on how we use every drop".