Northland downpour doesn't halt more water restrictions

Level 3 restrictions remain in place, and consumers must prioritise essential water use only. This includes drinking, cooking and bathing. Photo / Getty Images

The Far North District Council may today consider lifting the further round of water restrictions imposed last week, when the impact of last week's heavy rain will be assessed.

Very low levels in rivers and streams that supply drinking water prompted the imposition of Level 3 restrictions at Paihia, Waitangi, Opua and Haruru Falls as of Wednesday last week, a week after they were imposed at Opononi and Omapere.

Level three restrictions prohibit the use of outdoor hoses, limiting residents and businesses connected to any council-treated water supply to buckets for watering gardens and washing cars or boats. Filling private swimming pools is completely banned.

Level 2 restrictions remain in place for all other areas in the Far North, banning the use of sprinklers, unattended garden hoses and automatic irrigation devices connected to council water supplies.

Acting general manager infrastructure and asset management Jim Brooks said on Thursday that the Waitangi River, which supplies Paihia, Waitangi, Opua and Haruru Falls, had fallen to a one-in-five-year drought level. Streams supplying Omapere and Opononi are also very low.

The Northland Regional Council controls and protects all Northland rivers and streams, and permits the district council to supply Paihia area residents with water drawn from the Waitangi River.

"To protect the river environment and ensure a continued water supply, we are asking water users in Paihia, Waitangi, Opua and Haruru Falls to step up their conservation efforts," he said, adding that rain before last week had done little to recharge waterways, and that last week's heavy rain, as forecast, was also unlikely to prove adequate.

"For our waterways to recover we need a good soaking of at least 150mm of rain spread over a week," he said.

"In the meantime, Level 3 restrictions remain in place, and consumers must prioritise essential water use only. That is drinking, cooking and bathing."

- Exemptions to the restrictions would be available in exceptional circumstances, applicants needing to demonstrate significant hardship and have no practical alternative water source. Anyone who was concerned about restriction breaches or water leaks should contact the council on 0800 920-029.