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Auckland residents should be vigilant about water use, as the return of daylight saving time may tempt people to untie their hoses, the city’s water watchdog warns.
Watercare has reminded people that mandatory water restrictions are still in effect and the use of hoses and flushing devices is prohibited as the city’s water supply continues to rebound from the record drought.
However, restrictions on commercial water users, such as exterior cleaning companies, will be eased as of October 12, and bans on residential hoses will be revised in December.
david walker / Things
Auckland’s residential hose ban will be reviewed in December.
Chief Executive Officer Raveen Jaduram said Auckland’s water consumption traditionally rises when the summer hours begin.
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“In the past, we have seen an increase in water use at night when daylight savings time comes around, particularly when it coincides with hot sunny weather,” he said.
“Normally, the use of water increases because more people use their hoses to water their garden or wash their houses with a little spring cleaning. However, we still have water restrictions so we ask Auckland locals not to pull out the hoses yet. “
Jaduram said Auckland residents have made an exceptional effort to reduce water use since the restrictions began in May.
The city has saved more than four billion liters since the restrictions began; the seven-day moving average is 388 million liters per day, which is well within the target of 405 million liters per day or less.
David White / Stuff
Raveen Jaduram, CEO of the Auckland Council subsidiary Watercare.
“As a city working together, we have done an incredible job so far and I am confident that we can continue to meet these goals,” said Jaduram.
Auckland’s water dams are 67.4% full, compared to a 90% norm, and 42% of the city’s needs come from the Waikato River.
The restrictions were imposed in May after Auckland’s six driest months on record, following a similar dry spell a year earlier, and lake supplies fell to 42 percent.
Watercare is putting several small local water supplies back into service over the next few months and adding new pumps to increase the extraction of the Waikato River next winter by 50 million liters per day.
