Ongoing dry weather conditions have meant the Kainui Dam at Wai-iti is now at a very low level – currently measured at just under 20% full.
At current release rates there is a real possibility that the dam could run dry if there is no appreciable rain in the coming weeks – this will present serious water issues for the whole Wai-iti Valley.
Water release has been throttled back to conserve dam storage and to keep the river hydrated for as long as possible .
Stage 3 water take restrictions were imposed on the Wai-Iti water management zone from 1 April. This zone includes the stream that provides the source water for the Eighty Eight Valley because the stream flows into the Wai-Iti river.
Eighty Eight Valley remains subject to Stage 1 restrictions (or a 20% reduction in authorised weekly use) however. A temporary exemption to Stage 2 and 3 restrictions has been granted in acknowledgment of the largely rural nature of the scheme and the limited ability for customers to significantly reduce usage down to the requirements of Stages 2 and 3.
Continuing this exemption will depend on the water supplier (Council) and water users (customers) taking all practicable steps to reduce and minimise the volumes extracted from the stream while the Staged restrictions remain in place.
Therefore, the Phase D restrictions on what customers may use water for remain in place for Eighty-Eight Valley and we encourage customers to minimise water use however possible.
Phase C is still in place for Wakefield supply customers.
From Monday 25 March, new water restrictions came into effect for those on Council-managed water supplies in Wakefield and Eighty-Eight Valley.
Tasman District Council’s Waters and Wastes Manager Mike Schruer says the dry weather conditions across the area are continuing to put our streams, rivers and groundwater levels in decline.
While the recent augmented release of water from the Waimea Community Dam has enabled urban restrictions to be lifted in Richmond, Brightwater, Māpua/ Ruby Bay and Redwood Valley, other water management zones are being monitored closely to ensure we meet our consented abstraction rates.
Water users on the Dovedale supply are currently on Phase D restrictions.
The Wai-Iti dam has now dropped to about 25% full and water release has been throttled back to conserve dam storage and to keep the Wai-Iti river hydrated for as long as possible.
In order to comply with new rationing levels within the Wai-Iti catchment decided by Tasman’s Dry Weather Task Force, Phase D restrictions will be implemented on Eighty-Eight Valley customers.
The Council is currently rationed to 80% of its consented limit from the source that supplies Eighty-Eight Valley water scheme. This, in turn, means we had to initially impose ‘Phase A’ restrictions on customers.
Everyone has complied and thank you for your efforts to conserve water use thus far.
Unfortunately, with continuing dry weather and river flows in the wider catchment in decline, further restrictions have to be put in place.
This means we cannot extract more than 65% of Council’s consented limit from the source water so downstream waterways can continue to flow.
If the Council does not meet the Stage 2 restriction requirements of the DWTF and dry weather continues, we may have to impose further restrictions on customers and go to Phase E.
Council will be imposing Phase C restrictions on Wakefield supply customers.
The Wakefield supply is being supplemented by the Brightwater supply and therefore does not have such urgency to reduce usage but we do need to ensure that the Wakefield groundwater aquifer is protected as far as possible.
Thank you for your co-operation as we try to negotiate this very dry season and minimise environmental impacts.
Information on ways to save water can be found here.
More information on water restriction phases can be found here.
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