Water supply on the Hauraki Plains is under threat this summer due to three years of lower than average rainfall.
Photo: RNZ / Liz Garton
The Hauraki District Council said the area is on track for the lowest rainfall since 1993.
Its group manager service, Adrian de Laborde, said high water demand puts the council's two water treatment plants under pressure.
During times of low water demand, the Kerepēhi plant has enough water to supply the plains, but during times of increased use both the Kerepēhi and Waitakaruru water treatment plants are needed. During this period, the Kerepēhi plant supplies approximately three-quarters of the demand with the Waitakaruru plant supplying the remaining quarter.
He said streams supplying the plants are both lower than average and demand could lead to the Quarry Reservoir running out of water.
It needs to be at 75 percent of capacity at the start of summer.
Currently it is at 60 percent.
"The dry conditions have played a big part in us not being able to fill the Quarry Reservoir, which is one of the bigger raw water sources for the Waitakaruru plant. We are now looking at ways we can save water district wide."
"We need farmers to check their water lines and troughs for leaks, we need our residential properties to let us know of issues like pooling of water on footpaths. We still have a way to go with the reservoir at approximately 60 percent capacity. We need to work together if we are going to make it through the summer with enough water."
