Water restrictions starting

Water restrictions are being introduced in Tasman District.

The first stage of water rationing in the Waimea Plains will be effective from next Monday.

Dropping water levels have seen the Waimea River flow fall to 2300 litres per second which was just below the trigger for rationing, Tasman District Council dry weather taskforce convenor Dennis Bush-King said.

The affected water permit holders, which include irrigators, will have to reduce their take by 20 per cent.

Rostering has also been introduced in the Riwaka water management zone and restrictions are already in place in Takaka, affecting the two salmon farms and a small number of irrigators who take water from the Takaka River.

"The good news is that because of the Wai-iti Dam and the fact that we have been releasing water from the dam since last week, the restrictions do not apply to permit holders in the Wai-iti water management zone," Mr Bush-King said.

Hosing restrictions have also been introduced in Richmond, Mapua, Ruby Bay, Brightwater, Hope, Tapawera and Wakefield and the rural water supply schemes of Redwood Valley and Dovedale.

In these areas, hand-held hosing only is permitted on odd and even calendar days corresponding to house street numbers, and owners of private domestic wells are also only allowed to water gardens every second day. Mr Bush-King said a ban on surface-takes from Powley Creek would also be introduced even though there was now little water left.

The Motueka Plains were in good shape but the Motupiko Valley was drying and would be reviewed next week, Mr Bush-King said.

"The weather forecast is not looking good for much rain and because catchment storage is naturally low at this time, the trend suggests that rationing restrictions may need to be extended over the weeks to come.

"We seem to be experiencing an indian summer with warm temperatures in the early autumn period," he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News