15 January 2026
Dry weather and rising demand mean water restrictions have moved to Level 2 - limiting sprinkler use to between 6am and 8am only and keeping handheld hosing to a minimum.
Drinking Water Manager Judith Robertson says these restrictions are about protecting our water supply.
“We’ve had some rain over the past few weeks, but it’s only been enough to hold off restrictions until now and the rain forecast isn’t enough to ease demand or reliably boost supply.”
She says evening water use is more than the treatment plant can keep up with.
“Usage can reach up to 1.4 million litres in an hour. While the Waipaoa plant can supplement supply when needed, it depends on river flows and rainfall in the catchment.”
Under Level 2, sprinklers can only be used between 6am and 8am and hand-held hoses should be used sparingly and not during the heat of the day. Other water use should be sensible – wash cars with a bucket, cover pools to reduce evaporation and fix leaking taps.
Ms Robertson says small changes make a big difference.
“We all want to keep enjoying summer, but we need to be smart about our water use. If demand continues to rise or dry conditions persist, we may need to move to further restrictions.”
More about water restrictions and water saving tips