Water restrictions have been introduced for Dargaville and surrounds, with residents across the entire Kaipara district being urged to use the precious resource wisely.

The Level 3 restrictions announced by Kaipara District Council apply to supplied water networks in Dargaville and Baylys Beach. Other parts of the district remain unrestricted for now.

Under Level 3 restrictions, households and businesses are not allowed to use sprinklers or irrigation system to water their gardens or lawn at any time. Use of a trigger nozzle hose, hand-held open hose, or water blaster to wash vehicles, windows, buildings and paved areas is also prohibited and people are not permitted to use mains supply to fill swimming pools.

The task of securing water supplies was to have transferred to the Government’s Affordable Waters Programme (formerly known as Three Waters Programme) which has now been stopped.

Anin Nama General Manager Infrastructure Services says the Council has done a substantial amount of work to assess water supply options for the Dargaville area and that some tough decisions will need to be made.

“Our priority for the 2024-2027 Long Term Plan is on cyclone recovery. As part of our Long Term Plan consultation, we’ll be asking people how much additional focus they would like on securing water supplies for Dargaville,” says Anin.

The Dargaville and Baylys Beach water supply is drawn from the Kaihu River and Waiparataniwha Stream, which dries up during summer. Council monitors the flow rate of the Kaihu River, which can fluctuate significantly, depending on rain and runoff along the length of the rivers. The amount of water the Council can draw from the river is limited.

The alarm was sounded earlier this week when levels were consistently low and there was little chance of rain on the horizon. Water restrictions have been introduced to ensure sure the water is shared and everyone has enough for their daily needs.

Council encourages anyone who finds a leak to report it immediately to 0800 727 059.

For water-saving tips, you can go to www.bewaterwise.org.nz/

For ongoing updates on water restrictions sign up to Antenno, follow Council’s Facebook page or the Kaipara District Council website.

© Scoop Media