Use a bit less water, make a big difference this summer

As summer heats up and river levels drop, Wellington Water is calling on households to make small changes in the garden and around home in order to keep water use in check.

January and February are typically the hottest months with the most settled weather of the year. It’s also the time when water use peaks. With little rain since Christmas and a generally fine outlook for the next fortnight, that trend looks set to continue, says Wellington Water’s Marketing Advisor, Shelley Grant.

”Garden watering is a big contributor to the rise in water use over the summer months, so care with watering should be a high priority.

“Fitting a trigger nozzle to your hose lets you stop and start the water flow from your hose instantly, plus you can direct water where you need it without wasting a drop. Mulching your gardens to lock in moisture and sweeping paths with a broom rather than hosing them down are other easy ways to make a big difference.”

Even if you’re not a gardener, there are plenty of ways you can help save water, Shelley says. “Fixing leaky taps both inside and outside is an easy holiday job. Fixing even a slow drip from a tap could save up to 10-15 litres of water every day.”

The past three months have seen rainfall well below average in the Hutt Water Collection Area, our main source of water. The region’s climate outlook for the next three months includes a greater likelihood of low river flows, which indicates there may be extra stress on our water supply.

“While we are not short of water at the moment, now’s the time to use a bit less and help make what we’ve got go a bit further.”

Garden watering restrictions have been activated by the Porirua, Lower Hutt and Wellington city councils, and are in place year round in Upper Hutt, which is particularly affected by drier weather. These restrictions limit when unattended watering devices can be used. For more about each cities’ water restrictions, contact your local city council.

More info www.gw.govt.nz/water .

About Wellington Water

Wellington Water is jointly owned by Greater Wellington Regional Council and the Hutt, Porirua, Upper Hutt and Wellington city councils. It is a council controlled organisation, providing three waters network management services to its clients, who are also shareholders.

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