It’s looking like it’s going to be a hotter than normal summer. That’s great news for holidaymakers and beachgoers, but not so good for rural Aucklanders who don’t have access to mains water supply.
Auckland’s dams have filled over the spring and restrictions have been lifted on the town supply; and now the outlook for this summer is for normal rainfall and hotter than normal temperatures.
Whilst normal rainfall is expected, we could still get long dry spells between the rain events. So, it’s a good time for rural Aucklanders who rely on rainwater tanks to prepare for summer. Many people on rain tanks were caught out in the summer drought of 2019/20.
The key is to act now before you run out of water. There are a number of steps you can take, including:
- checking your water tank levels regularly
- monitoring your water usage and making lifestyle changes, such as shorter showers
- considering the needs of livestock if they are using your rain tank supply
- find out who your local water supplier is, in case you need a top-up over the holidays
- plan ahead and book water refill deliveries early before it gets critical
- ensure your tanks are well maintained and your roof guttering is free of debris
- install water-saving devices in your showerheads and taps
- consider investing in extra tank capacity.
Auckland Council has been taking its own preventative steps, to help support Aucklanders who rely on tank water. ”Additional water tanker filling stations have been commissioned that use groundwater sources to help reduce refill waiting times. Auckland Council has also developed a lot of useful information on rainwater harvesting, including a rainwater tank size calculator that you can find on our website,” says Andrew Chin of Auckland Council.
In addition, the council is able to waive resource consent fees for rainwater tank applications in most instances, and has created an online tool to help homeowners find out if they need a resource or building consent to install a tank.
