The Waikato District Council has water supply schemes which provide water to areas of the Waikato district. The Council is responsible for the maintenance and running of its water supply schemes. Rural areas that are not supplied by the town water supply rely on roof water. Water quality and conservation is important to public health, and the Council promotes preventative measures to ensure the quality of your water is safe and clean.
The Waikato District Council operates a variety of localised water supply schemes and also has joint ventures with Hamilton City Council to provide water to a number of areas in the district.
The Council’s six supply schemes provide:
- Gordonton/Matangi/Tamahere/Tauwhare
- Horotiu/Ngaruawahia
- Hopuhopu/Taupiri
- Huntly
- Meremere/Rangiriri/Te Kauwhata
- Te Akau
- and Raglan
with their own local water supplies.
The reticulated water supply is provided by a network of intake structures, reservoir storage, pump stations and an extensive underground pipe network. This water is utilised by rural, urban and commercial users for domestic and business purposes.
Key facts about the Waikato District Council’s water supply network:
- The Council maintains 621 km of reticulated pipelines
- 9,800 properties are provided with this reticulated water service
- The Council operates 22 reservoirs, with a total capacity of 17,122 cubic metres
- The Council operates six water treatment plants, with a total capacity of 16,100 cubic metres per day
- The Council operates eight water pumping-stations
Rain tanks
All new premises in the Waikato District are now required to have a rain tank under the new Water Supply Bylaw.
The bylaw, enforced from March 2010, is a move by Waikato District Council to create more sustainable water supplies, and encourage storing rainwater for non-drinking use.
What’s required?
A rain tank is required for all new premises that will:
- be more than 30m2; and
- connect to a Council water supply; and
- have facilities that use water such as a toilet/laundry that the roof water could be used for.
All new connections to a Council water supply will also have a water meter. The water will be billed based on the amount used. Find out more information on our Rain Tanks and Water Meters page
Water Meters - Final Reading
Council undertakes a final reading of water meters upon request. Please make your request by phoning our Customer Delivery Team on 07 824 8633. There is a charge for this service.
Information you need to provide:
- Property details e.g. valuation number, physical address, property number
- Information about where to send the invoice
- Date of reading
How to Maintain Water Quality
Water quality in improperly maintained tanks and roof catchment systems is a risk to public health. Preventative measures and corrective actions for safe rainwater harvesting include:
- Keep roof catchments clean of moss, lichen, debris and leaves
- Keep roof catchments clear of overhanging vegetation, branches provide roosting points for birds and provide access for animals, such as rodents and possums
- If appropriate install gutter guards or screens as well
- Install screened down pipe rainheads or other debris protection devices on each down pipe - Recommended screen mesh size is 4-6 mm, these should be self-cleaning devices
- Install a first foul flush diverter to prevent contaminated water entering the tank. These should have automated diversion and drainage systems
- In the event of any weed/chemical spraying in an adjacent location, advise the contractor that the roof is used for collecting drinking water. There should not be any overspray. Organochlorine pesticides should not be used
- Prevent access by small animals to the rainwater tanks by screening all inlets and overflows, access hatches should be left closed
- Inspect tanks annually - Have a professional clean the tanks
- If tank contamination is apparent the water should be chemically disinfected and boiled before the water is used for consumption
- For more information on maintaining the quality of your drinking water, visit http://www.drinkingwater.org.nz/default.asp
Tips for Efficient Water Use at Home
Using water efficiently is important, as it’s a valuable resource – that’s why we’ve put together a few water saving tips to conserve your water use.
Water Saving Tips for Indoors:
- If washing your dishes by hand, ensure the tap doesn’t continue to run water as you rinse them
- Turn off the running tap while brushing your teeth
- Ensure that your washing machine is used when it has a full load, as some washing machines can use up to 200 litres of water each time they are operated
- Shower heads can be installed which restrict the rate of water flow being used
- Install a dual flush toilet, as these allow for half of the normal water use to be required
- Operate the kitchen dishwasher when it has a full load of dishes to be cleaned, as each cycle can use up to 40 litres of water
- Use a compost pile instead of operating the waste disposal unit. This not only reduces the water consumption of your household, but also reduces the load placed on the Council wastewater treatment plants
- Repairing dripping taps can reduce your household water consumption by up to 100 litres per day
- Ensure that your households hot water thermostat is not set at too high a temperature, as using cold water to cool the hot water down is a form of wasting water
- Check to ensure there are no leaking water pipes within your home
- Check to see if the toilet is running continuously into the bowl
- If purchasing new appliances in the future, choose dishwashers and washing machines that are water efficient to operate
Water Saving Tips for in the Garden:
- Set a timer on your garden sprinklers so they are turned off after a set period of time - Sprinklers can use up to 1000 litres per hour
- Use a broom to clean concrete or paved pathways, not a water hose
- Spray the roots of the plants in your garden - Watering the leaf cover only results with evaporation of this water
- Water your garden in the cooler hours, rather than during high temperatures in the daytime - This can reduce the evaporation loss of water from the plants
- Plant drought tolerant grasses, ground covers, shrubs and trees. Talk to your garden centre about the best types
- Park your car on the grass to wash it, as this will water the lawn at the same time
- Don’t over water your lawn - As a rule, lawns only need watering every four to five days in summer
- Cover your pool to reduce evaporation
Information on water-borne diseases
Please view these Ministry of Health brochures for information on common water-borne diseases:
Water Restrictions in the Waikato
There are currently no water restrictions in the Waikato District.
Council runs the 'Smart Water Use' campaign throughout summer to guide water use in a sustainable manner, and ensure consistent supply.
Water levels range from 1 which is limited restrictions, to 4 which is a total ban on non essential use.
Water alert levels are communicated in the Waikato Times, on the radio and on this website page.
- Click on the Smart Water chart below to see the different water levels.
