Water restrictions loom for Far North as drought bites

A serious water shortage is looming in the parched Far North, and with it the possibility of domestic water restrictions for residents on town water supplies.

Far North District Council utilities manager Peter Johnson said yesterday that public water supplies in Kaitaia, Kaikohe, Rawene and Opononi-Omapere are all at critical levels.

The council is urging consumers in these areas to conserve water whenever possible.

"We're looking for public co-operation and a voluntary reduction in consumption of around 20 per cent to avoid the possibility of restrictions," Mr Johnson said.

He noted that residents on metered supplies would see these savings in their six-monthly water bills.

Rivers and streams within the district are running at extremely low levels, limiting the amount of raw water available for public supply. Reserves have now reached their lowest level for six years.

Mr Johnson said people should think twice about watering gardens, turn off dripping taps and reduce the amount of water in toilet cisterns.

Parts of the Far North have had no substantial rain since the second half of January, more than two months ago, other than occasional light, short-lived showers.

Kaitaia recorded only 7mm of rain last month, compared with a March average for the town of 76mm. At Coopers Beach, near Mangonui in Doubtless Bay, a bit more than 11mm was recorded in March, way down on the monthly average of 86mm.

Far North principal rural fire officer Lance Johnston says fire hazard indicators in the district are still very high and a total ban on fires in the open, imposed last month, remains strictly in force.

Long-range weather forecasts for the district predict more settled weather with no "meaningful" rain expected in the immediate future, he says.

Any possibility of water restrictions in the Far North is ironic, after the council threatened to restrict metered water to households where residents had failed to pay their water bills.

The controversial move, initially mooted late last year but never implemented, is on hold pending public consultation.