Aucklanders are being encouraged to reduce their outdoor water use as dry weather continues across the region.

Watercare has moved the city into the “preparing for drought” stage after dam levels dropped below a key trigger earlier this month.

“We’re not asking people to stop watering their gardens,” says Mark Bourne, Watercare’s chief operations officer.

“We just want everyone to be more mindful. Most gardens don’t need watering every day.”

Watercare is stepping up its awareness campaign, asking residents to water only when necessary and to use trigger nozzles on hoses to avoid wastage.

Auckland’s current seven-day rolling average water demand is 483 million litres per day—higher than normal for this time of year.

Typically, regular rainfall would reduce demand, but the prolonged dry spell means many are using more water, particularly in their gardens.

Forecasts suggest the dry weather may persist into April, with a possibility of stage one water restrictions in late May if demand remains high and rainfall stays low.

However, predictions for May hint at wetter conditions, which could ease the pressure on water supplies.

In the meantime, Watercare is producing an additional 185 million litres of water a day from its two Waikato plants.

That’s enough to cover 38 per cent of Auckland’s daily demand.

The team is also working hard on leak detection, fixing over 19,000 leaks since December.

NIWA’s Drought Index currently rates Auckland as “extremely dry.”

Bourne explains that even when rain does arrive, much of it will initially be absorbed by dry soil before helping to replenish dam levels.

“We’re hoping for sustained rainfall to put us in a more comfortable position,” he says.

Coasties can help by reducing outdoor water use and keeping showers short.

If every Aucklander cut their shower time by just one minute, it could save up to 20 million litres of water a day—making a real difference in preserving the city’s water supply.

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