More water restrictions for Northland areas as rain stays away

The small, drought-sensitive Petaka Stream, seen here at full flow in winter, is the sole source of water for the Rawene-Omanaia town supply. PHOTO / FNDC

Northlanders are being urged to conserve water wherever possible with low rainfall so far this summer pointing to possible water shortages later in the season.

People connected to the Okaihau town supply are the latest to face water restrictions. They are banned from using automatic sprinklers and irrigation systems, though hand-held hoses are allowed.

Similar restrictions have been in place for households connected to the drought-sensitive Rawene-Omanaia and Opononi-Omapere town supplies since December 1.

Far North District Council infrastructure manager Andy Finch said restrictions had been imposed in Okaihau due to high demand and lower than usual aquifer levels.

Normally the water levels in the two bores supplying Okaihau were 10-15m below ground level; currently they were 14-20m.

At the same time water use in the town during the past month had increased to 150-175cu m a day. The council's resource consent allowed 60,000cu m a year or an average daily take of 164cu m.

Another problem in parts of the Far North can be the ability of water treatment plants to keep up with demand. That was the case in Kerikeri and Kaitaia earlier this month after unusually high water use, prompting a call for voluntary water conservation.

Mr Finch said residents and businesses in the two towns had heeded the request. As long as that continued formal restrictions would not be needed in the short term.

Demand was also fuelled by the summer-time influx of holiday-makers, with the Kerikeri, Kaitaia and Paihia-Opua-Haruru water supplies affected in particular.

Paihia's water restrictions last summer were the result of the Waitangi River treatment plant, just upstream from Haruru Falls, being unable to keep up with demand.

Mr Finch said staff would monitor council water supplies and introduce new restrictions, or beef up existing ones, as required.

The Northland Regional Council is also calling on businesses, consented water users and the public to keep a close eye on water use.

Regulatory manager Colin Dall said rainfall during late spring had been much lower than usual in some areas, especially in the south and west of Northland. The council's Kaipara rain gauge had recorded only 12mm over the past 28 days.

Low rainfall combined with higher than average temperatures had driven soil moisture deficits in the Dargaville and Warkworth areas to 110-125mm, abnormally high for early summer.

There was no need for alarm as yet but Northlanders should conserve water where possible, he said. People relying on rainwater tanks should check the level regularly and be aware there could be long delays when ordering water tankers.

Meanwhile, town water supplies in the Whangarei District are in a healthy state thanks to November rain topping up storage dams at Whau Valley and Ruakaka. Even without the forecast January rain water restrictions would be unlikely in Whangarei before March.

Kaipara District Council is closely monitoring the weather and advising people to conserve water.