"We can hide from the situation and hope for rain but, like last summer, it may not come. We all need to be water smart and be aware of how we can help our district."
The council advises resdients to make sure tanks, spas and swimming pools are full.
Covering your pool when not in use, can slash evaporation by 95 per cent.
To ensure gardens survive and thrive, consider installing a catchment system to harvest and store water.
Retailers around Tararua are selling storage tanks, many 1000 litres, but council advises residents to get in now, as demand is sure to rise, unlike the levels in the district's rivers and streams.
Now is also the time to get water blasting done. Don't put them off until the height of summer when water restrictions could put your plans at risk.
And fix dripping taps, the council advises. One drip a second from a leaking tap can add up to about 28 litres a day or 2500 litres every three months, enough to fill a rubbish skip.
Keep an eye out for the council's new district water signs, which will be popping up over the next couple months.