Councils band together to conserve water

Monday 4 December 2017

With another dry, hot summer expected this year, and some reservoirs already at critically low levels, two local councils are doing their utmost to remind the community to conserve water wherever possible.

Napier has this afternoon imposed a level four water restriction, with extremely heavy water use over the hot weekend necessitating a complete ban on sprinklers and hoses for at least the next few days while reservoir levels stabilise.

However help is at hand. A new campaign launches today, with a familiar face at the helm. Shelley Exeter is a self-confessed greenie who has worked as a council gardener for 14 years. Her smiling face is a common sight in the parks and reserves around the region, and she’s always willing to help residents who approach her for advice on their seasonal planting, lawn upkeep - even composting.

Shelley says she is proud to front the conservation campaign, which aims to help locals make informed choices about their household water usage through a series of print advertisements, radio slots, digital screens and banners, and sharable video content. “I see this as a great opportunity to start a conversation about how we use our water,” says Shelley. “I personally always like to save as much as I can, rather than being wasteful and reckless. There are so many easy, small ‘wins’ that quickly add up and make a huge difference to our overall water consumption here in Hawke’s Bay. None of us wants to run out of water!”

Napier City and Hastings District Councils say the ultimate aim of the eye-catching campaign is to delay or avoid region-wide water restrictions, with conservation the simplest way to achieve this. Water consumption lifts by up to 70% in summer months, and the supply is already struggling to cope.

“We’re asking our communities to lower their usage in easy, clever ways – reusing the water from rinsing fruit and veg on your garden, putting a cover on the pool, if you have one – that kind of thing. Indoors, it’s about turning off the tap when brushing teeth and shorter showers.”

Council staff are also being briefed on lowering water usage around parks and reserves. Non-potable water is used in some areas to irrigate city grounds and gardens, so as town supply is not affected.

The campaign will run from December until March.

Napier’s level four water restriction will be reviewed later in the week.

For more information on water use or your Council’s current restriction status please see www.napier.govt.nz or www.hastingsdc.govt.nz

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