The Gore District Council has initiated level three water restrictions for Mataura as water usage continues to exceed resource consent levels.
Level three restrictions mean:
- Residents and businesses should only water vegetable and flower gardens, trees and shrubs using a hose and for two hours each day, either between 7am to 9am or 7pm to 9pm
- Grass areas can’t be watered
- No running water for recreation, eg water slides
- Cleaning cars, boats, caravans or trailers can only be done using a bucket
- Only poolsthat hold up to 350 litres can be filled or topped up
- Cleaning commercial vehicles and trailers should only happen for regulatory, health and safety, or emergency reasons
Details about water restrictions are available here.
There will also be restrictions on Council activities in the town. Flower gardens, trees and shrubs can only be watered between 9pm and 6am, and there will be restrictions on the cleaning of fleet vehicles.
The Council last week asked Mataura residents to conserve water as the amount of water being pumped into the Mataura network wasless than the amount being used.
3 Waters Operations Manager Aaron Green said demand was still exceeding supply. The Council’s resource consent from Environment Southland allows 1500m3/day to be taken from the Pleura Dam.
“The water level in the (Pleura) dam is dropping too quickly for our likening.
“Putting restrictions in place now may delay or even avoid the need to pump water from the Mataura River to supplement the water supply.”
The MetService is forecastingonly a few showers over the next ten days.
Mr Green said Gore’s water supply was holding its own. 3 Waters staff were monitoring it daily.
“Gore is using between 4500m3 and 5000m3 a day at present, which is about 500m3 more than this time last year.”
Learn more about how to save water by following this link.