Total watering ban in Thames and Coromandel Town

As the hot, dry weather continues, Thames and Coromandel Town residents are using large amounts of water and as a result our network is under pressure.

Thames and Coromandel now move to a total watering ban. This means the demand for water has continued to increase and savings are required immediately. All use of water outside the house is banned. This includes watering lawns and gardens, washing cars, houses, and decks, filling paddling pools and playing under sprinklers.

All other parts of the district are on a ‘conserve water’ restriction, which means residents and holidaymakers are being asked to keep using water carefully to ensure our supply continues.

“Of course we recognise it's hot, but we need people to please not waste water,” says our Infrastructure Manager Mohamed Imtiaz. “Most of our communities have responded positively to the restrictions we have had over summer, and we ask for your ongoing cooperation.”

Current restrictions:

• Coromandel Town – Total watering ban

• Thames – Total watering ban

• Hikutaia - Conserve water

• Puriri - Conserve water

• Matatoki - Conserve water

• Matarangi - Conserve water

• Hahei - Conserve water

• Tairua - Conserve water

• Pauanui - Conserve water

• Onemana - Conserve water

• Whangamata - Conserve water

• Whitianga – Conserve water

We'll keep monitoring water use in our nine urban and two rural water supply schemes regularly and reviewing our water restrictions daily. Any changes are posted on our website, email newslettersand our Thames-Coromandel District Council Facebook page.

Please report water wastage and water leaks to Customer Service on 07 868 0200.

Residents and visitors are asked to comply with the water restrictions for the good of the community.

Top 5 smart water conservation tips

• Wait until you can do full loads before you wash dishes or use the washing machine.

• Don’t run the water when brushing your teeth.

• For cool drinking water, fill a jug and keep it in the fridge. Running water to cool it down can waste 10 litres a minute.

• For lawns, apply the ‘step test’ – if grass springs back after you walk on it, it doesn’t need watering.

• If your toilet has a dual-flush button, use the half flush.

Prohibited fire season continues

The prohibited fire season in our district has been extended until further notice because of the high fire-danger levels.

"It's really dry and we want to people to be very careful,” says Paul Shaw, Principal Rural Fire Officer for the Thames-Coromandel. “We expect the total fire ban to carry on for quite some time.”

A prohibited fire season means a total ban on any fire in the open. At this time of year fires are more likely to burn out of control and result in damage to vegetation or property, or loss of life.

As of 1 July 2018, our Council no longer issues fire permits, instead check with Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ). However, during prohibited fire seasons, Fire and Emergency will only grant permits that are necessary to prevent, reduce, or overcome any hazard to life or because of any other serious emergency.

Check wwwcheckitsalright.nz for information on fire permits and updates on fire seasons.

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