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Water catchment - Source: ONE News -
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Residents of Kaitaia in the Far North have been told they could have their water turned off if they do not step up their conservation efforts.
The worst drought in 40 years has pushed the water supply to dangerously low levels and the town now has only two weeks left, David Penny of the Far North District Council says.
He says people are using more than 320 litres of water a day. Council wants that cut dramatically to about 150 litres a day, to double the time the town has left before it runs out of water.
"It's getting pretty bad, we've sort of been taking special care with saving as much water, but now it's getting quite serious," says Jay Osmond, Loredo Motel Owner.
Water levels are so dangerously low, the council's getting tough, imposing fines of up to $20,000 for anyone who ignores new water restrictions.
The council will give each household a limit, and pull the plug if that gets exceeded.
Penny says the pressure has already been reduced in the water system but that will not affect firefighting.
Shutting down the water supply is an extreme measure but it is one option, he says.
Residents have been told for the last five weeks to conserve water but that has had little impact so far.
He says people on the Kaitaia town supply are using twice as much water as their "country neighbours" on tanks.
"Over the last month we haven't seen an appreciable response from the community to our calls for conservation.
"We want folks to look seriously at water usage in the home."
He says other options, including bringing water by truck into the town, are expensive and not easy.
Restrictions at Kaitaia and the Opononi and Omapere areas include a ban on all garden hoses and irrigation systems, including hand-held hoses.
No let up in the drought is expected until late this month or early April.
