While water sources like rivers and aquifers are more resilient to drought, all water sources rely on rainfall. During extreme dry spells that cause our dam levels to drop, we put in place water restrictions to ensure we are all using water wisely. When we’re in a drought, we don’t know when it’s going to end, so restrictions are a smart and proactive way of conserving water and minimising wastage. Restrictions are focused on limiting outdoor water use to ensure there is enough water for residential and commercial customers.
Before making a recommendation to Auckland Council, we consider a number of factors including current dam storage, expected water demand, the short-term weather outlook, and the likelihood of needing to go back into restrictions. Seesawing in and out of restrictions would create confusion and is something we try to avoid.
Our Drought Management plan details the water restriction trigger levels used for metropolitan Auckland and non-metropolitan Auckland, specifically Wellsford and Helensville/Parakai. Trigger levels tell us when to enter water restrictions and when to move up or down a level.