Water restrictions start in Napier, use of sprinklers and hoses curbed

Sprinklers and hoses are under restrictions. This means they can only be used between 6am and 8am, and 7pm and 9pm. Photo / File

With temperatures rising the time has come for water restrictions to begin in Napier.

Keen gardeners need to be aware that sprinklers and hoses are now under restrictions.

This means they can only be used between 6am and 8am, and 7pm and 9pm with even numbered houses on even days of the month, and odd numbered houses on odd days of the month.

Every summer the city's water usage increases, putting Napier's reservoirs under pressure, increasing the possibility of water levels becoming critical, Napier City Council said.

"The official start of summer isn't until Sunday but as we already know, the daily temperature in Napier has been creeping up for some time.

"It also increases the risk of fires. We need to ensure not only that there is enough water in our reservoirs for everyone, but that our emergency services have enough water for their needs," Napier City Council's director of infrastructure services, Jon Kingsford, said.

Reservoir levels are being monitored daily and weather forecasts closely monitored, in case restrictions have to be taken to the next level.

Water restrictions have been imposed by NCC in the past, and are not usually lifted until autumn.

Council has the right to restrict the water to properties which are not complying with water restrictions.

Council is also doing its bit to conserve water with the Three Waters and Parks and Reserves teams having water conservation strategies.

Key recommendations include; commencement of a three-year leak detection project to prioritise asset repairs and renewals; ongoing reduction in the number of annuals being planted, particularly in street beds, where they have been replaced with more drought tolerant species such as succulents; a high tech soil moisture monitoring and irrigation system installed at McLean Park during the re-turf project; and meters installed in most sportsgrounds, including McLean Park last year.

This has led to an overall reduction in water consumption at metered sites.

The "H2O is the Way to Go" campaign encouraging the community to save water in a variety of ways, which NCC is promoting together with the Hastings district and Hawke's Bay regional councils, offers further ways to ensure there is enough water for everyone.