Environment
Update from Environment Southland
Water Shortage Direction Amendment
The Gore District Council is moving to level 2 water restrictions for Gore and Mataura, effective immediately.
Level 2 restrictions include:
- Residents can water vegetable gardens, using any method, between 7:00am – 9:00am or 7:00pm – 9:00pm
- Residents must use a handheld hose or bucket to water flower gardens, trees or shrubs
- There’s a ban on watering grass areas
The Council last imposed water restrictions on urban areas in the summer of 2019/2020.
In the last week, temperatures around the District have soared. Yesterday Gore’s Main Street temperature gauge showed 280C, and there seems little relief in the short term.
3 Waters project engineer Aaron Green said NIWA’s climate outlook for March-May has a 65% chance of above-average temperatures.
The water level at Gore’s primary water source, Cooper’s Wells, was holding its own.
However, the Council this week started pumping from the Mataura River to supplement the Jacobstown Well, which was at its lowest level since it was commissioned in 2009.
The average daily water use from the well in the last month was significantly up on the same period last year, Mr Green said.
The Council started topping up Mataura’s water supply from the Mataura River earlier this month due to low levels in the Pleura Dam.
Full details about Level 2 water restrictions are on the Council’s website https://www.goredc.govt.nz/services/3-waters/water-restrictions
Update from Environment Southland