Dry weather on the east coast is starting to bite, with a low Waikouaiti River forcing water restrictions north of Dunedin.
The level two restrictions, which mean hand-held hosing only is allowed between 8pm and 8am, are for Waikouaiti, Merton, Karitane and Seacliff, and come despite the $9.3 million northern water scheme that pipes water from the Mt Grand water treatment station at Brockville as far as Seacliff.
Dunedin City Council water operations team leader Gerard McCombie said yesterday the restrictions were primarily targeting Waikouaiti, Karitane and Merton, which got their water from the river.
Seacliff was primarily supplied from Waikouaiti, but Mr McCombie said resource consent decisions required the council to take measures when river flows became low.
Water use in the rest of the city was not restricted yet, but the council urged "restraint by all customers".
