Horowhenua District Council wishes to advise that Level 3 Water Restrictions are now in place for Levin and Ōhau until further notice.

Council issues water restrictions to conserve water when river levels drop due to dry weather conditions, or when demand for water increases beyond the capacity of the water treatment plant to safely supply water that meets National Drinking Standards.

“The river level is low due to lack of rainfall over the last month, with only patches of rain forecast over the next seven to ten days,” said Water and Waste Services Manager Asli Crawford.

“We have a resource consent from Horizons Regional Council to take water from the Ōhau River for our Levin and Ōhau town drinking water supply. In order for this to be sustainable, when the river levels are low, in this case less than 1,000 litres per second, we are required to implement Level 3 water restrictions to manage water demand. The flow yesterday was

925 liters per second.”

What does Level 3 Water Restrictions mean?

· Garden sprinklers and soak hoses must not be used at any time.

· Handheld hoses, watering cans or buckets may only be used on Tuesdays and Saturdays during the hours of 6pm and 8pm.

· Hosing of paved areas is prohibited unless cleaning is required as a result of an accident, fire, health hazard or other emergency.

· Newly constructed swimming pools and spas must not be filled.

· Existing swimming pools and spas must not be topped up or filled.

· Filling up of portable swimming pools is prohibited.

· Water must not be used to clean vehicles unless cleaning is required for health or safety reasons. Cleaning for health and safety reasons must be undertaken using watering cans or buckets filled directly from taps.

· Commercial customers with very high water demand are also advised to take all practicable measures to reduce water use while this water restriction is in place.

Please contact Council prior to any major water use to confirm whether the activity you need water for is permitted.

“We'd like to thank you for your cooperation and help in conserving our water supply,” Crawford said. “Any further updates will be provided via Council’s website and social media channels.”

For more information about Level 3 Water Restrictions, visit: www.horowhenua.govt.nz/WaterRestrictions

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