Residents told to conserve water with soaring temperatures

The city council wants people to restrict how often they water the garden.

With scorching temperatures due over the next two days, the city council has asked residents to conserve water.

Temperatures are expected to get to a sweltering 34deg C on Wednesday with 32deg C expected on Tuesday.

City council three water and waste technical services manager Tim Drennan said while water consumption has dipped slightly in recent weeks from 250 million litres a day in early December to about 200 million litres on Sunday 28 January, there is concern usage could surge in the current run of hot weather.

"When consumption increases to 250 million litres a day the network is reaching its capacity.

"My gut feeling is that the drop recently is due to people going back to work following the summer break and also the rain we've had. But that's likely to change with the temperatures we're seeing this week and it's crucial we all do our bit to reduce the water we use."

City council staff are also keeping a close eye on falling stream levels in Akaroa and Duvauchelle which suggest conditions are becoming extremely dry on Banks Peninsula.

Mr Drennan said most people didn't realise how much water they used, and by making a few small changes to routines, they could significantly ease the pressure on the city's pump stations, reservoirs and pipes.

One way to ease demand on the network is to cut back on watering lawns and gardens by watering every second day and only after 9pm or before 6am.

People should also check their property for any water leaks and arrange to have them fixed.

Keeping showers and baths to a minimum helped, and turning off taps while cleaning teeth or shaving could save up to 10 litres of water a minute.

Other simple water saving tips

* Rinse or peel vegetables in a bowl or sink filled with water instead of running the tap – you could save 10 litres of water every minute.

* Wash dishes in a sink filled with water, rather than under a running tap.

* Keep a jug of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap water until cold.

* Collect the water you use for rinsing fruit and vegetables, then re-use it to water indoor plants.

* Only flush the toilet when you need to.

* Wait until you have a full load before starting your washing machine or use the partial load settings.

* Install water-saving shower heads or flow restrictors.

-Newsline