Auckland Council supplies emergency water as rain tank users struggle in record dry spell

February 14, 2020

Local water carriers told 1 NEWS some families have been without water for over two weeks.

With no rainfall forecast in the next few days, Auckland Council has stepped in to provide water as tank users watch taps run dry.  

Auckland residents living on rain tanks have been left waiting up to seven weeks for refills as demand surges during severe drought conditions across the region. 

Some tank users have faced days without running water due to high demand and long waiting lists for water carriers. 

Last month Auckland recorded its lowest rainfall in over 70 years, just seven percent of its normal rainfall for January. 

The big city is also on its way to breaking its longest dry spell of 39 days, reached during the last time Auckland experienced extremely dry conditions in 2013. 

Showers and water filling stations have been designated around the city for tank users to collect water and use showers. 

From today, residents can collect up to 20 litres per person in each household, per day from these centres in hand held containers. 

Wellsford Community Centre, Warkworth Town Hall, Helensville Library, Orewa Service Centre and Te Puru Community Centre will be open for water collection until 8 pm today. 

Auckland Council says it is also working on providing 20 static water tanks for rural communities across the region as a longer term solution. 

Stanmore Bay Pool, Albany Stadium Pool, Glenfield Pool, West Wave Pool, Franklin Pool, Jubilee Swimming Pool, Whiteside Pool and Massey Park Pool are also available for shower facilities and for water collection. 

The council is also working on commissioning milk tankers to act as alternative filling stations for water carriers to reduce travel times and ease filling station queues. 

Current queues at stations can be up to an hour wait time for carriers after Watercare reduced the flow rate to three stations in an attempt to ease the pressure off the mains system. 

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