Hamilton to stay at water alert level 3 for another few weeks

Hamilton's current ban on using sprinklers and irrigation systems will be in place for at least the rest of the month. Photo / Supplied

Hamilton will stay at water alert level 3 for at least the rest of the month due to ongoing dry weather and Omicron impacts at the water treatment plant, the city council says.

Water alert level 3 means the use of sprinklers and outdoor irrigation systems is prohibited. Handheld hosing is allowed at any time.

Due to the high numbers of Omicron cases and requirements for staff isolation, the council is experiencing absences across all council services, including at the water treatment plant where the city's drinking water is processed.

Council's city waters unit manager Emily Botje says: "Remaining at alert level 3 ensures we can continue to operate with the confidence that we have a predictable and manageable demand for our city's water."

She says she was pleased Hamiltonians have been mindful of their recent water usage.

"The last few weeks especially, we have seen a significant drop in water consumption across the city, compared with the highs of mid to late January ... We thank people for their efforts to reduce their water use, especially over the last month and want to encourage them to continue to do so for the rest of March."

She said while autumn was on its way, Hamilton was still dealing with "the tail-end of summer".

Water alert level 3 has been in place in Hamilton since February 3.

Council waters compliance staff are travelling around the city to monitor usage and notify water wasters via letterbox drop. Concerned residents can also notify the council when they see someone breaking the rules at smartwater.org.nz/report.

For more information and water-saving tips, visit smartwater.org.nz.