Water restrictions bite Rawene community

16th March 2010

Rawene is the latest community to have water restrictions imposed as drought conditions  intensify and water levels fall in rivers and streams in critical catchments across the Far North.

"While the Rawene situation is not yet critical, unless we are able to conserve water now a point will be reached in the very near future at which we will be unable to continue to meet the town's water requirements," Infrastructure and Assets General Manager David Penny said yesterday.

"If the community can bring down water use by 20 per cent now it will prolong the period before the supply reaches a critical level and more drastic measures are required," he said.

The same restrictions have been imposed as those applying to Kaitaia, Opononi/Omapere and the Kawakawa/Moerewa water supply schemes.

Until further notice, these include bans on the use of hoses, commercial car washing facilities, truck washing facilities, waterblasting, watering lawns and gardens, washing private cars, windows, houses, decks and pathways, and the filling or "topping up" of  pools.