Water restrictions

UPDATED 14 OCTOBER 2024

When daylight savings began, Porirua moved into Level 1 water restrictions. These are:

If you live in an even numbered house, you can use sprinklers or irrigation systems only on even numbered days between 6-8am and 7-9pm. If you live in an odd numbered house, the same rules apply for odd numbered days.

You can use handheld watering devices any time, on any day, so long as you don’t leave them unattended. 

Learn more about water restriction levels here: https://www.wellingtonwater.co.nz/.../water-restrictions/

For water saving tips, please visit: www.watcheverydrop.nz

We encourage you to find ways to use less water in your gardens during dry periods.  You can do this by using mulch, watering your plants and trees only when necessary, and installing a trigger spray on your hose.

Tips to save water:

• Use mulch to keep soil moist.
  
• Only water your garden when absolutely necessary during cooler times of the day – early morning or late evening. 
  
• Collect water from your shower for watering your garden.
  
• Let your lawn die off, it will come back.

Parks:

• The Parks and City Services team turn off garden bed irrigation, and minimise any sportsfield and nursery irrigation.
  
  
• We’ll still need to water Porirua Park, Endeavour and Adventure Park, plus keep our plants alive at the nursery. The cost to replace these sportsfield surfaces and plants would be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
  
  
• We will be smart when we water, only use the bare minimum and also utilise the water tanks at the nursery for the plants.

Splash Pad:

• The Splash Pad uses recirculated, filtered water. We may look to reduce operating hours during longer-term dry periods.

Infrastructure:

• Wellington Water is working hard to fix leaks, based on priority and how much water they’re losing.

Water use in Porirua City is managed under the Porirua City Council General Bylaw 1991 Part 17 - Water Supply.

The Bylaw applies at all times throughout the year and is enforced particularly during summer and prolonged dry seasons.

Water restrictions are publicly notified in community and regional newspapers, local radio and television as appropriate in each case.