One week’s notice is being given for Western Bay residents before a decision is made on water restrictions.
Western Bay of Plenty District Council Utilities Manager Kelvin Hill remains optimistic that the District’s residents will continue their efforts on conserving water use. But if restrictions are necessary in a week‘s time it will be a total ban on all sprinklers and hand-held watering.
Council has directly contacted users with larger connections asking them to urgently conserve use and is again urging all other users to do their utmost to use as little water as possible.
“If this scorching weather continues and our consumptions rates keep going up at the current level, we will have no option but to bring in a total ban on sprinklers and hand-held hosing,” says Kelvin.
Council has already reduced its own use of water sprinklers as much as possible over its community reserves.
Council’s systems are at capacity for pumping water – and this pressure increases the risk of mains breaks, however Kelvin says he is hopeful the District will pull through without restrictions. He encourages people to contact Council immediately if they notice any water running from leaks or main breaks.
Residents in the Central Zone (Te Puna, Minden and Omokoroa areas) continue to be the highest users with reservoirs struggling to maintain a 50 percent minimum level for daily demand for drinking water.
Consumption in the Eastern Zone (Te Puke/Maketu) has also risen in recent days – with reservoirs just above the 50 percent minimum level.
“We appreciate that many of our residents are already doing their bit to conserve water,” says Kelvin. “Let’s continue to do so – but with even more focus on how we use every drop.”
