Water restrictions for Napier

Published: 15 December 2023

Level 2 water restrictions are being introduced in Napier from today.

The hotter it is, the greater the demand on our city water supply, says Russell Bond, Director Infrastructure Services, Napier City Council.

“We are confident that Napier has enough water. What we need to be mindful of, is whether there will be enough water to go around later, in case of drought or an emergency. Firefighters in particular need to be assured that they will have enough to run their pumps.

“Just as the rest of the community is being asked to put in the effort, Council will also be looking at its water use,” explains Russell.

This includes council watering programmes for parks and gardens. Many watered spots are now on timers to allow watering to take place at cooler times of the day, ensuring gardens and parks absorb water more effectively and efficiently.

Council will be reviewing its watering programme for parks and gardens in the same way that residents are being asked to.

Putting low level restrictions in at this stage is hoped to help avoid higher level restrictions being imposed later, due to the weather.

At Level 2, hoses and sprinklers can only be used between 6am and 8am, and 7pm and 9pm every second day – at odd numbered homes on odd dates, and even numbered homes on even dates. The restrictions apply to all homes that source water from a public Napier City Council supply.

Hastings will shift to level 2 restrictions on Wednesday 20 December, with Waimārama moving to level 3. More information will be shared via Hasting District Council channels next week.

Top tips to save water, inside the home:

• Check for leaks and fix any leaking taps, pipes or cisterns
• Use 'eco' settings on dishwashers and washing machines if available and don’t run them unless they are full
• Scrape dirty dishes rather than rinsing
• Turn off taps while brushing teeth
• Take shorter showers
• Limit toilet flushing: if it's yellow let it mellow
• Store drinking water in the fridge instead of running the tap cold.

Tips for saving water, outside the home:

• Follow the water restrictions
• Don't water the concrete, use a directional sprinkler
• Reuse 'grey water' from the washing machine on lawns and gardens where possible
• Use a bucket of water when washing the car, rather than the hose
• Use a broom to clean paths rather than a hose
• Swimming pool owners – put off topping up and use a cover to minimise evaporation.

Details on all water restrictions levels can be found here.

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