Bone-dry week little use to water-needy Auckland
Another dry week is set to add to Auckland’s water woes after a front which lashed western areas of lower North Island over yesterday petered out as it headed north.
Water levels are down 20 per cent for this time of year and this week isn’t looking good for rainfall.
In total, dam storage levels are at 65.8 per cent, compared to 86.71 per cent normally for this time of year.
Aucklanders appear to be doing well with their water consumption.
Watercare’s figures yesterday showed the region used 424 million litres and had a seven-day rolling average of 437 million litres.
The target for January is 461 million litres or less a day for the rolling seven-day average.
In the past seven days, Auckland received little rain, while the week before the rainfall was 31 per cent more than usual, but that was coming off the back of two earlier dry weeks, 43 and 57 per cent less than usual, respectively.
Watercare is now expecting this week to be worse, with 70 per cent less rain than usual.
“We do need to keep up the good work and continue to be mindful of our water use,” a spokeswoman said.
“It has been a dry start to summer — December had less than half the normal rainfall.
“This past week we didn’t get a drop of rain in our water catchments.
“Previous forecasts had indicated a wetter-than-normal summer, but this has not yet panned out,” the spokeswoman said.
Since restrictions were introduced in May, Aucklanders had saved an estimated 8 million litres, “which was an outstanding effort, particularly given Aucklanders are already the most efficient water users in the country”.
Auckland at the moment is in level-one water restrictions, so people can use a hose as long as it is handheld and has a trigger nozzle.
“Sprinklers are not allowed. And, inside, please keep your showers short — four minutes or less. If you need to have two showers a day, make them two minutes each.”
A small paddling pool is recommended if children want to cool down, then the pool water can be reused in the garden afterwards.
Watercare said it was also working to bring online new water services.
“The new Papakura Water Treatment Plant, which treats water from Hays Creek Dam, will go into service later this month, providing up to six million litres a day. We are also building a new water treatment plant next to our existing Waikato Water Treatment Plan, which will provide up to 50MLD this winter.”
MetService meteorologist Peter Little said through to midday Wednesday, the area would get about 5mm to 10mm of rain, some areas less and some up to 20mm.
“So it’s not looking like it’s going to be a big drop in the lakes. It will be helpful and give people’s gardens a bit of a watering, though.”