Auckland's water-use jumped more than 30 million litres a day after water restrictions eased, prompting calls for locals to ease up on their outdoor water-use.
Rules changed on December 14 to allow Aucklanders to use a hand-held hose at home, as long as it has a trigger nozzle.
After these new regulations came into force, Aucklanders on Sunday December 20 used 428 million litres of water - 32 million litres more than what was used the previous Sunday before restrictions were changed.
Watercare head of servicing and consents Mark Bourne, who is also leading the city's drought response, says the increase in consumption is largely due to people using a lot more water outdoors.
"We need to remember that while we can use a hose - as long as it is attended and has a trigger nozzle - we need to use water responsibly. It's not a free-for-all," he says.
"Restrictions are still in place - they prohibit the use of sprinklers or irrigation systems at home, so if you have been using these, please stop.
"We are still recovering from this year's drought and our dam storage level is still much lower than it would normally be at this time of year. We need to keep this in mind every time we turn on the tap - inside or outside. Use what you need and reuse it whenever possible."
Auckland's water supply dams are collectively 70.5 percent full. At this time of year, the historical average is about 89 percent full.
Watercare says its treatment plant data shows while water use has gone up considerably in the past week, wastewater volumes have gone down.
"We've had no rain in the past week, which is why the volume of wastewater treated at our plants has gone down. At the same time, water use has risen by more than 30 million litres a day in just a week," Bourne says.
"This indicates that the extra water we are treating is mostly being used outdoors, so if we all make an effort to be water-wise outside, we should be able to bring our water consumption back down again."
Watercare's outdoor water-saving tips are to:
- limit outdoor water use. If you need to use your hose, make sure it is fitted with a trigger nozzle, and don't leave it unattended. Do not use sprinklers or irrigation systems at home
- water your garden early in the morning or late afternoon when temperatures have dropped to avoid evaporation
- wash your car with a bucket. Only use the hose for a quick rinse at the end.
