As we move into Autumn, our teams have been closely monitoring water demand and how our water treatment plants are performing across the district.

While conditions are more settled than earlier in the season, water use is still higher than we would usually expect at this time of year. To help manage demand and protect supply, we’ve moved the district from Level 2 to Level 1 water restrictions.

In Morrinsville, the newer Lockerbie Water Treatment Plant continues to strengthen the town’s water supply and provides greater resilience overall. However, we’re also keeping a close eye on the Topehaehae reservoir at Waterworks Road as temperatures begin to drop. As seasons change, the reservoir can experience what’s known as a ‘turnover’. This is when cooler temperatures cause layers of water to mix. When this happens, raw water quality can temporarily worsen while things settle. This puts extra pressure on our treatment plants and can slow the production of treated water.

With these factors in mind, Level 1 water restrictions remain in place across the district for now.

What Level 1 restrictions mean:

• sprinklers and garden irrigation systems can be used between 6-8am and 6-8pm only
• watering by hand is allowed at any time
• please don’t leave hoses unattended

We’ll continue to monitor water levels and plant performance and will update the community if anything changes.

The whole district is now on Level 1 water restrictions. Read more about our water restrictions levels and FAQ here.