Please take it easy on the water

Record high water use and low rain forecasts mean the community is being asked to make “serious efforts” to conserve water.

Last weekend’s water use from the town supply that feeds Hastings, Havelock North and Flaxmere was the highest in five years.

Some residents in elevated parts of the urban area are already being affected by low water pressures, caused by bore pumps not being able to keep up with demand.

“We really need to make serious efforts to conserve water, particularly outdoors which is typically where the greatest use is in hot weather,” said a Hastings District Council spokesperson.

That means not washing the cars, letting the lawn dry off and limiting watering of the vegetable garden to dusk when the water can be of the most use to plants, and putting off topping up swimming pools unless absolutely necessary. There are so many small steps we can all make that add up to a significant water saving each day.”

“There are no water bans but we do hope people will get on board with these suggestions, particularly in Hastings, Havelock North and Flaxmere.”

Compounding the problem is that the bores in Havelock North are turned off in the wake of the water-borne gastric illness outbreak in August. Council staff are racing to get treatment options attached to one of those bores, after which it can contribute to the water supply. A UV treatment plant, filters and chlorination will be in place.

It had been hoped that these measures would be in place before the dry season fully took hold, however that has come earlier than normal.

This message comes on top of the conservation messages normally put out by council which are required under its resource consent to draw water from the aquifer, issued by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council.

HDC monitors daily water use and that information is available on www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/water

ENDS

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