Residents in Mt Somers have been urged to restrict their water use to only essential needs, as the Ashburton District Council has introduced a level five restriction for the scheme.
Council is investigating low water levels in the catchment and upgraded the water restriction to help stop the supply running out of water for residents.
People on the Mt Somers supply are advised to only use water for cooking, cleaning, drinking and hygiene purposes.
"We are urging residents to conserve water as much as possible to avoid a loss of service to the whole community. We are working hard to investigate the situation, are regularly monitoring water levels, and will continue to re-assess the supply with a view to easing the restrictions as soon as possible," council chief executive Hamish Riach said.
