Water restrictions in place for Arthurs Point, Luggate, and Lake Hāwea
Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has announced water alert level 1 restrictions for Arthurs Point, Luggate and Lake Hāwea, effective from 5pm today (Friday, 17 February, 2023).
Alert level 1 restrictions require residents and visitors in these locations to:
- Keep hand-held hosing to a minimum at all times
- Only use irrigation systems between midnight and 6am when general demand is at its lowest.
QLDC Infrastructure Operations Manager, Simon Mason said with the return of warm and dry weather, local water networks were experiencing significant demand which was putting pressure on supply.
“With very little rain forecast to fall in the Queenstown Lakes over the next ten days, restrictions are required in these locations to safeguard the supply of water we will require to respond to an emergency, like a fire or system failure,” Mason says.
“We’ll continue to monitor the situation and will remove restrictions once demand has fallen to more sustainable levels. I’d like to thank the local community for their co-operation, and I look forward to providing further updates when things change.”
Mr Mason added that by taking a few simple steps now, everyone could help ensure the network remained in good shape, especially with the hot weather likely to stick around.
“If we all treat water as the precious and valuable resource it is, restrictions won’t be needed. Reducing how much we’re using sprinklers and only irrigating between midnight and 6am will lead to an immediate improvement in our water supply levels.”
“Unfortunately, the level at which we’re currently using water isn’t sustainable, especially at a time when our district has a heightened risk of fire,” Mason says.
A total fire ban and prohibition on fireworks is in place in Otago’s Lakes and Central fire zones, meaning a total ban on outdoor fires, and all previously granted fire permits are suspended.
More information about water restriction levels and why they are needed can be found on the QLDC website here.
