29 September 2018

Residential garden watering restrictions come into effect this Sunday and are in place during daylight saving months (30 September 2018-7 April 2019) in Lower Hutt, Porirua and Wellington. Upper Hutt garden watering restrictions apply all year round.

These restrictions allow for the use of:

· A single watering system (sprinkler, irrigation system, soaker hose, or unattended hose) between 6-8am and 7-9pm.

· On allocated watering days:

o Even-numbered houses on even dates of the month (2nd, 4th, 16th etc.)

o Odd-numbered houses on odd dates of the month (1st, 3rd, 11th etc.)

These are base-level restrictions that apply every year, and can be increased depending on demand and supply around the region.

“It can seem a bit early to be introducing watering restrictions, but it’s never too early to get in the habit of watching every drop,” says Alex van Paassen, Wellington Water’s manager for community engagement.

“We rely on rivers and the Waiwhetu Aquifer for our regular water supply, and conditions can change quickly. While we do have the Te Marua storage lakes as back-up, these have to get us through the whole summer, and if we have another hot dry season like last year, we may need to increase restrictions.”

“If we all do our bit to reduce our demand, it will ease pressure on our supply and storage.”

Keep an eye out over the summer for tips on how to be water-wise. Here’s one for starters – to check soil moisture levels, dig down about 10cm below the surface. If the soil is moist, you don’t need to water.

ENDS

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