Water restrictions cranked up in Kaitaia as river drops
8 Jan, 2021 04:00 PM
3 minutes to read
A Northland Regional Council hydrologist measures the flow in the Awanui River during last summer s drought. Photo / Peter Jackson
Northern Advocate
Water restrictions in Kaitaia have been bumped up to the second-highest level possible as the Awanui River, the town s main water source, continues to drop.
From Friday level 3 restrictions apply to all households and businesses connected to the Far North District Council s water supply, which means only buckets or watering cans can be used to water gardens or wash cars and buildings.
Garden hoses, sprinklers and irrigation devices connected to the town supply are banned, along with water blasting and filling swimming pools.
Kaitaia water pipeline: Council prepared to use compulsory land acquisition
27 Dec, 2020 04:00 PM
3 minutes to read
Mayor John Carter tells Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern about his council s partnership with Te Rarawa to supply Kaitaia with water earlier this year. Now the council is looking for a permanent solution
Northern Advocate
Far North District Council will use compulsory acquisition if necessary to access land needed for a waterpipe to supply Kaitaia.
The council has released its decision on accessing land required for a water pipeline from a bore at Sweetwater and says it will use compulsory acquisition if needed.
The decision, made at an extraordinary meeting earlier this month, was released on Wednesday, with the council saying it had investigated options to provide Kaitaia with a more resilient water supply for a number of years.
DAVID WHITE/STUFF
The Far North is fast running out of water, and heading for another drought. Kaitaia’s Awanui River and Kawakawa’s Tirohanga Stream have not recovered well from last summer’s drought, where the lowest-ever rainfall levels were recorded across the North Island. In February, there was concern the towns of Kaitaia, Kaikohe and Rawene could run out of water, and the toughest water restrictions available were introduced across most of the Far North and Kaipara. Taylor said reducing demand now can help starve off the need for even tighter restrictions in coming weeks.
Far North District Council/Supplied