Southland District Council (SDC) has imposed a ban on unattended water sprinklers, effective from midnight tonight (15 Dec).

SDC Strategic manager water and waste Grant Isaacs said that while NIWA was predicting a slightly wetter summer this year, it was important to remember that SDC’s facilities can only produce so much water so Southland district consumers needed to get ready now by conserving water as much as possible.

The move by the SDC to stage two water restrictions means only hand-held watering will be allowed between 7pm and 7am. 

Water carriers will also have flow restrictions applied.

“If we all play our part in conserving water, we'll have a better chance of getting through the summer without the need to impose more stringent restrictions,” Isaacs said.

Southland district residents can report any leaks by phoning 0800 732 732 or CLICKING HERE