Water Restrictions Level 1 beginning this Sunday

Wellington City, Hutt City, and Porirua City will move to Water Restrictions Level 1 from 12:01am on Sunday, 28 September. These cities will join Upper Hutt City and South Wairarapa District, which remain on Level 1 all year round.

At Level 1, households are asked to use sprinklers every second day only between the hours of 6-8am and 7-9pm, following the even/odd street number system:

• Even-numbered houses: sprinklers on even-numbered dates
• Odd-numbered houses: sprinklers on odd-numbered dates

Gardens can still be watered by hand at any time, provided hoses are not left unattended.

“Water restrictions begin every year at the start of daylight savings, when warmer weather typically leads to higher water use,” says Wellington Water’s Acting Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, Erin Ganley.

“Initial modelling shows that this year the risk of tighter water restrictions has significantly reduced from previous years,” adds Erin. “Thanks to increased investment from our council owners to reduce the backlog of leaks across the region, and an increase in treatment capacity at the Te Mārua Water Treatment Plant, this summer’s likelihood of Level 4 Water Restrictions (a significant water shortage) has dropped from 33% two summers ago, to less than 1% this year.”

“That said, we are still waiting on the seasonal weather forecast from Earth Sciences NZ, which may increase the risk of restrictions if we experience a long, hot and dry summer. Additionally, it’s important to remember that the increased demand over summer from outdoor usage puts pressure on the region’s supply, as we can only treat and supply a set amount of water each day,” says Erin.

Per capita, Wellington is still a high user of water when compared to other large cities. The Wellington region currently averages about 220 litres per person per day — around 25% higher than Auckland. Over the summer months watering gardens is one of the biggest contributors to our water use increase. 

“Many of us may not be aware of the amount of water that is used when undertaking outdoor activities such as watering the garden. For example, running a hose for just 12 minutes can use as much water as one person’s total daily average use,” Ganley says.

Tips for smarter garden watering

• Deep soak: A thorough watering once or twice a week encourages strong root growth and drought resilience.
• Direct the flow: Use drippers or directional sprinkler heads to ensure water goes where it’s needed—not on paths or fences.
• Mulch your garden: Mulching can reduce evaporation and cut watering needs by up to 70%.

Other simple ways to save water

• Find and fix leaky taps.
• Scrape plates instead of rinsing.
• Turn off taps when brushing teeth.
• Take shorter showers.
• Choose water-efficient appliances—look for WELS star ratings.

For more tips and to calculate your household’s average water use, visit the water calculator on Wellington Water’s website.