With another unusually hot summer in the pipeline, Hamilton City Council has joined other councils across the Waikato and launched the annual Smart Water campaign.

The campaign has launched this week amid predictions of a warm and humid summer with above average temperatures.

The Smart Water campaign is encouraging people to start thinking now about their usage, and to take extra care not to waste water as we head into the hottest, driest part of the year.

To get people thinking about being smart with their wai (water), the Smart Water team is sharing the message that we save wai (water) in the Waikato.

Hamilton City Council City Waters Unit Manager Emily Botje has echoed the campaign message and knows that small actions can make a big difference in preventing water wastage.

“We believe that Hamiltonians already do a great job at saving wai (water) in the Waikato, but we know there is always room for improvement,” she said.

Waipā District Council’s Water Services Manager, Martin Mould, agrees that there is always more that people can do to save water, and loves how Smart Water shares new water saving tips every year.

“You might have heard the term ‘every drop counts’, and over summer it really does,” says Martin.

“It’s over this period that people’s water use dramatically increases. Last year we saw large spikes over December and January, when we want to be most mindful of how much water we use.”

A large proportion of Waikato’s outdoor water use is from hoses and sprinklers, with people sometimes using them more often, and for longer than needed.

Pop-up pools can also be a water waster, with hundreds of litres often being discarded instead of treating pool water with chemicals.

“We know this save water messaging can seem repetitive year on year, but we really encourage the community to start thinking about why it’s so important,” says Emily Botje.

We’d love to know how you save wai (water) in the Waikato. Make sure you’re following us on Facebook and Instagram, and stay tuned for some awesome water saving giveaways.

The Smart Water starts with you! sub-regional summer campaign aims to make long-term change to how we use water. The initiative is a joint venture between Hamilton City Council, Waitomo District Council and Waipā District Council.

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