Auckland Mayor Phil Goff says we need to look into why the region's dams silted in an "unprecedented" way, threatening the drinking water supply in New Zealand's largest city.
Speaking to The AM Show on Monday, Mr Goff said with climate change, we are going to see more extreme events and need to plan for a more resilient Auckland.
He said areas that are logged commercially could be planted with native forest to help prevent run-off.
"They have been doing commercial forestry around the dams. That should be permanent indigenous forest, and that's what they are moving towards", he said.
The Mayor also raised concerns that too much water is treated at just one plant - the Ardmore Water Treatment Plant.
"At the moment, two-thirds of all of the water that comes in Auckland goes through Ardmore. It's a really efficient, effective plant, but that's all our eggs in one basket."
The plant treats water from four rivers in the Hunua Ranges, distributing it to homes from Papakura to Whangaparaoa.
Mr Goff acknowledged an increasing population was putting a strain on Auckland's infrastructure.
"If we're going to have the migration - and I'm a general supporter of migration - then you've got to have the infrastructure to manage it."
Mr Goff has raised the issue with Prime Minister Bill English.
The system is resilient, Aucklanders need to show they are too - Watercare
Watercare CEO Raveen Jaduram told The AM Show the current system is fit for purpose, but Aucklanders need to demonstrate some resilience by changing their water-use habits.
"We've had unprecedented rain. We've had lots of slips and erosion that we've never experienced, and we've got a treatment plant that isn't designed to treat that level of sediment."
Mr Juduram said while the current system is resilient, Watercare has funding approved for a new water treatment plant, and a replacement for the Huia plant.
He said "a little inconvenience" on behalf of each person will save Aucklanders from having to boil their water.
He said on average, Aucklanders shower for seven minutes a day. Cut that down by two minutes each, and every person will save 16 litres of water.
He was less enthusiastic about cutting down water use by not flushing the toilet.
"Do what you need to do," he said. "If you feel it needs flushing, flush it."
Newshub.
