Wellington will move to level 2 water restrictions from Wednesday next week as the region struggles to cope with demand. 

Wellington City, Porirua City, Hutt City, and Upper Hutt City will all be covered by the restrictions which come into effect from 12.01am Wednesday, January 17. The decision to move the region into water restrictions follows on from high demand, peaking at 195 million litres on Tuesday, January 9. 

Wellington Water said it expects demand to continue to rise as people return home to Wellington after their summer holidays and the brief periods of rainfall which are forecast will do little to help the situation. 

The increase in demand, paired with the ongoing high number of leaks is putting pressure on the network and the ability to supply enough safe drinking water to meet demand. 

Laurence Edwards, chief adviser drinking water, network development and delivery, said the restrictions only apply to residential properties, so businesses may continue as usual, however, he urged businesses to be aware of the situation at hand. 

“We do ask that businesses across the district take steps to reduce their water usage where possible. We are working with our client councils to provide guidance for non-residential customers, including on the restrictions that may apply at level 3 and 4. If we all do our bit, then we can hopefully avoid further restrictions.” 

As well as the ban on sprinklers, Edwards urged people to be conscious of their water use and add in ways to conserve water to their daily habits. Things like keeping showers to under four minutes, turning the tap off while you brush your teeth and ensuring you’re only doing a wash of clothes with a full load can all add up and help the city region conserve water. 

Vita Molyneux is a Wellington-based journalist who covers breaking news and stories from the capital. She has been a journalist since 2018 and joined the Herald in 2021.