Hamilton and Waipa will move to Water Alert Level One restrictions from Thursday 17 December 2020.
Moving to Water Alert Level One means sprinklers must only be used between 6am to 8am and 6pm to 8pm daily, while hand-held hosing can still be done at any time.
Hamilton City Council’s City Waters Manager Maire Porter says a number of factors are considered before water alert levels are put in place. We closely monitor water use, weather predictions and trends from previous summers to guide how we manage water, says Porter.
NIWA projections for the upcoming summer in the Waikato region are for hot and humid weather and with a severe meteorological drought earlier this year and less rainfall in 2020, the two councils have opted to take a proactive approach this summer.
Victoria Road Bridge over the Waikato River in Cambridge. Climate change is expected to bring longer and more intense droughts, as rising temperatures make New Zealand s climate more turbulent. Waipā District Council Water Services Manager Martin Mould said the decision to move early into the alert levels was prompted by last summer’s experience, when Te Awamutu, Pirongia and Ōhaupō moved into alert level four for the first time. Neighbouring Matamata-Piako has already moved to level 1 restrictions. The Taupō District also went to level 1 on Wednesday. Level four is the most severe alert and dictates a total outdoor watering ban.