Storing emergency water over the Christmas and New Year period should be a priority for residents in the Greater Wellington region, says Wellington Region Emergency Management Office (WREMO) Regional Manager Jeremy Holmes.
“Wellington Water has advised us that there is a risk of serious water shortages over the summer for the Wellington Water bulk network,” says Mr Holmes.
“We are expecting to see tighter water restrictions in 2024 so now is the time for people to store emergency water and replenish the supplies they already have while restrictions still allow.”
Tighter water restrictions over summer could mean bans on all outdoor water use, reducing indoor water use by up to 50%, and the potential for disruptions to water supply.
Wellington Water metropolitan areas are currently in water restriction Level 1 which means that sprinklers can only be used every second day.
“Storing emergency water is important for everyone to be prepared for restrictions and disruptions to their water supply”, Holmes says.
WREMO recommends households have an emergency supply of at least 20 litres of water per person, per day for seven days (140L per person).
“You can store water by cleaning and re-using plastic bottles, using larger water containers from hardware stores or installing a 200L household emergency water tank available through your local council,” Holmes says.
“We know that finding space in apartments can be a challenge, so we encourage people to get creative and store containers behind the couch, under their bed or in the back of your cupboard,” Holmes says.
WREMO has an exclusive deal with the Tank Guy to make 200L water tanks available to Wellington region residents at a highly discounted rate. These tanks are available from all local councils in the region for approximately $115 (RRP $265).
“We encourage everyone to take the risk of a water shortage seriously and take time over the holiday break to store or replenish their emergency water supplies.”
For more information on how you can be prepared and tips for storing emergency water, visit wremo.nz/water.