District-wide water shortage in Far North
The entire Far North district is short of water and one town is on the brink of extreme water restrictions that could last up to six months.
Record dry conditions in Northland mean the Far North District Council will introduce at least a sprinkler ban in all schemes from next week, and consider essential water use only in Kaikohe.
And there are fears the water restrictions could last for half the year, with no significant rainfall forecast until May or later.
The restrictions mean a sprinkler and irrigation ban will be introduced to Kerikeri, Okaihau, Paihia and Russell, and continue for South Hokianga.
A more restrictive hose ban will continue for Kaikohe and Kawakawa, and was introduced to Kaitaia on Thursday.
But with Kaikohe’s two water sources threatening to run dry, the council is considering restricting water use in Kaikohe even further – potentially banning everything but essential water use for cooking and hygiene.
‘‘The Wairoro Stream and the Monument Hill bore are at extremely low levels and forecasters are unable to give us any good news about future rainfall,’’ said the general manager for infrastructure and asset management, Andy Finch.
‘‘The truth is, we would need several weeks of sustained rain to replenish what the past 12 months have taken out of our streams and groundwater.’’
The record hot and dry 2019 was felt around the country and was starting to affect Northland kiwi, as well as resulting in a total fire ban.
Last year, hoses were banned in Kaitaia and Hokianga until June, and there was a possibility such long bans could be repeated without extensive rain.
Finch said residents and businesses in Kaikohe needed to reduce water use by 25 per cent in the next two weeks.
To help, the council has offered to fix leaks for free and will reimburse costs of up to $300 for each Kaikohe property.
Residents concerned about the restrictions have asked the council to do more about long-term water supplies.
Kaitaia resident John Nilsson wrote on the council’s Facebook page that it was the third year in a row Kaitaia had a water shortage.
‘‘About time something was done to prevent this happening in the future, don’t you think?’’ he asked the council.
Finch said the council was exploring options to supplement Kaitaia’s water supply from other sources – including accessing an aquifer at Sweetwater, north of the town.
In the meantime, he said everyone in the community needed to conserve water as much as possible.
The Far North is believed to be the only area in the country which has completely banned the use of hoses due to the dry weather.
Other restrictions include garden watering being limited to alternate days in Hawke’s Bay, New Plymouth and Wellington.