‘Water is like gold’: water problems are far from over as restrictions for Auckland businesses are eased

Taps can be reopened without restriction for commercial water users in the Auckland region, to the relief of water-dependent businesses, but the region’s water problems are far from over.

Auckland City Council has applied water use restrictions since May as part of efforts to restore healthy margins of stored water for the region after a severe and prolonged drought.

Today, dams in the region are 66.8% full, compared to 91.4% which is typically full at this time of year, and Auckland Council does not rule out re-imposition of restrictions or Let boundaries become the norm for all summers.

Auckland businesses can now use outdoor hoses with a manual trigger nozzle and commercial car washes can work again too.

However, there is no change to the ban on outdoor hoses for residential users, who need to save about 20 liters per day each, and are still restricted to using buckets for things like watering the garden or washing the car.

Elite Waterblasting Ltd owner Brian Edwards spoke out against the water restrictions earlier this year, claiming the companies’ tap had been turned off.

He helped establish the Outdoor Cleaning Industry Association, a group that has worked with Watercare to establish best practice guidelines to help minimize water waste by businesses.

The industry association lobbied for access to the taps, based on the claim that the industry used 0.07 percent of the water used every day in the city.

“That’s not seven days a week, so it drops lower, probably to 0.05 percent. It’s not much.”

Edwards said it was a privilege to be able to use the city’s water again. He said he was aware that the drought was far from over and that restrictions on homes remained.

“Water is like gold. It is precious, it is priceless.

“They have turned off the taps in the industry again, they can turn it off quickly,” he said.

Watercare Acting Chief Executive Officer Marlon Bridge said easing restrictions was the right thing to do for the good of businesses that are hitting their wallets from Covid-19 lockdowns.

Bridge said water restrictions would be necessary this summer, while new water sources are secured and anticipated rains make up for last summer’s drought.

But once they’re insured, he doesn’t think water restrictions will be necessary in future summers.

He said it was too early to say whether residential restrictions will be eased – that depends on whether Auckland residents continue to save water and on rainfall levels.

Many cities across the country, such as Christchurch, Whangārei, and Tauranga, have regular water restrictions during the summer.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said Hamilton City Council also has regular restrictions and, as part of its agreement to give Auckland up to 25 million more liters of water per day, he hopes Auckland will follow suit.

Rainfall, forecasts, and reservoir levels would determine the severity of the restrictions.

Goff said the easing of restrictions on companies this week would be closely monitored and that if the drought continues, the restrictions may need to be reimposed.

Auckland City Council will review restrictions on homes in December and will consider dam levels and the summer rain forecast.