Virus hand-washing bumps water usage

The coronavirus threat in New Zealand has definitely made people wash their hands more – it’s clear in our water use.

In Auckland a surge in water use is being blamed on the virus as people wash their hands more often, for about 20 seconds each time.

Watercare Services manager Rachel Hughes said Aucklanders are using around 20 million litres of water a day – just on extra handwashing to prevent the spread of the virus.

The increase is around four to five per cent more water than normal.

In Wellington, including Porirua, Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt, demand for water has hit 169 million litres of water each day on average, compared to an available water supply of 161 million litres of water each day.

In Christchurch, water use is also high.

On Sunday, Christchurch used over 175 million litres across the city in total – on average 313 litres per person, and 33 per cent more water than the day before.

Hughes said Auckland’s Watercare Services could only speculate.

But a longer morning peak last Thursday could be due to office workers having to work from home due to the virus.

While Auckland is still experiencing a severe drought, Watercare is still encouraging people to continue thorough handwashing, Hughes said.

She encouraged people to use water wisely, and not waste water unnecessarily.

The official advice is to turn the tap off while cleaning your hands to save water.

Wellington Water drinking water chief advisor Laurence Edwards said the city’s spike in water could not directly be blamed directly on the coronavirus.

Unlike other urban centres, the capital does not have universal metering of domestic properties to monitor household usage.

Even if they did, Wellington Water may not be able to tell exactly what the water was being used for, Edwards said.

‘‘Washing hands typically doesn’t use a lot of water, using a relatively small flow rates for a relatively short period of time.’’

A Wellington Water spokesman said people should use water wisely and not waste it.

They should also be observing watering restrictions which apply year round in Upper Hutt, and generally until the end of daylight savings elsewhere.

Another problem that has emerge as people ramp up their cleanliness is the increased use of antibacterial wipes and wet wipes getting flushed down toilets and clogging up the system.

‘‘The impact we are seeing is more wipes in pipes.

‘‘People are using more sanitary wipes, and flushing more.’’