Te wainuku, te waipuna me ngā awa
Groundwater, springs and rivers
Your water may come from a river, groundwater or springs – it depends on where you live.
Rivers
If you live in metropolitan Auckland, some of your water comes from the Waikato River.
Waikato River water
The Waikato is New Zealand’s longest river and flows 425 kilometres from Mt Ruapehu to the Tasman Sea at Port Waikato. It’s been an important part of Auckland’s water supply network since 2002.
How much Waikato River water do we use?
It depends on the season. But, since the Waikato 50 treatment plant was built in 2021, we can take as much as 225 million litres of water a day if we need it.
Hoteo River
If you live in Wellsford, your water comes from the headwaters of the Hoteo River.
Groundwater and springs
Some communities in Auckland receive water from underground aquifers.
What are aquifers?
Much of Auckland’s rain filters down and fills up pores between grains of sand and fissures in the rock. These sources of water are called underground aquifers.
These communities get their treated water from groundwater or springs:
- Muriwai
- Algies Bay
- Snells Beach
- Bombay
- Waiuku
- Warkworth
Water hardness
All Auckland water contains minerals, but mineral content varies depending on the water source. Groundwater is likely to have more minerals than river or spring water because it seeps into the aquifer through rock.
Learn how to reduce water hardness at home