The hot weather yesterday resulted in Thames residents using large amounts of water and as a result our network is under significant pressure.

Thames now moves to a total watering ban due to the heat wave and the community not being responsive to the water restrictions in place.This means the demand for water has continued to increase and savings are required immediately. All use of water outside the house is banned. This includes watering lawns and gardens, washing cars, houses, and decks, filling paddling pools and playing under sprinklers.

Our plant is currently producing around 205 cubic meters per hour, however the Thames community are currently using approximately 280 cubic meters per hour.

“Of course we recognise it's hot, but we need people to be mindful and not waste water,” says our Infrastructure Manager Mohamed Imtiaz.

Whitianga remains on a sprinkler and irrigation ban to manage pressure on the local water supply. This means a total ban on the use of all sprinkler and irrigation systems. Hand-held hoses can be used on alternate days: even-numbered addresses on even-numbered dates; and odd-numbered addresses on odd-numbered days.

All other parts of the Coromandel are on a ‘conserve water’ restriction, which means residents and holidaymakers are being asked to keep using water carefully to ensure our supply continues.

Our Council’s water services team says most of our communities have responded positively to the restrictions we have had over recent weeks, and asks for ongoing cooperation with the ‘summer heatwave’ upon us.

We'll keep monitoring water use in our nine urban and two rural water supply schemes regularly and reviewing our water restrictions daily. Any changes are posted on our website, email newsletters and our Thames-Coromandel District Council Facebook page.

Please report water wastage and water leaks to Customer Service on 07 868 0200.

Residents and visitors are asked to comply with the water restrictions for the good of the community.

Top 5 smart water conservation tips

• Wait until you can do full loads before you wash dishes or use the washing machine.
• Don’t run the water when brushing your teeth.
• For cool drinking water, fill a jug and keep it in the fridge. Running water to cool it down can waste 10 litres a minute.
• For lawns, apply the ‘step test’ – if grass springs back after you walk on it, it doesn’t need watering.
• If your toilet has a dual-flush button, use the half flush.

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