Despite this week's rain, the dry spell is set to continue.
MetService meteorologist Stephen Glassey said for the 12 hours to 7am yesterday, 21mm of rain fell at Balclutha, 16mm at Dunedin International Airport, 8mm in Dunedin, 6mm at Nugget Point, 5mm at Alexandra, 5mm in Invercargill, 3mm at Oamaru, 0.4mm at Manapouri and none in Queenstown.
Today's isolated showers in Otago and Southland were forecast to clear as a ridge of high pressure was expected to keep the South sunny until next week, Mr Glassey said.
Dunedin City Council water production manager Gerard McCombie said he was pleased with the recent ''useful'' rainfall, which had dampened the demand for water in Dunedin.
Deep Stream, the city's main water source, had 267mm of water flowing over the weir yesterday.
''It is quite a healthy flow.''
The weir level at Deep Creek - another city water supply - rose from 40mm on Monday to 103mm yesterday.
The urban Dunedin water supply had improved ''a little bit'' and water demand had fallen, he said.
''When you get a bit of rain people are less inclined to go and water their garden.''
Demand had also ''dampened'' at Waikouaiti, he said.
Despite a ''surplus'' in the water supply, he encouraged people to use water efficiently.
''We are not out of the woods yet ... It's useful rainfall but it is not enough to say it has brought the dry spell to an end.''
Otago Regional Council chief executive Peter Bodeker said the rain had not changed the situation in Central Otago.
''It's been reasonably localised,'' he said.
