Be the Difference
Be water smart this summer
Most of the water supply for Lower Hutt, Porirua, Upper Hutt and Wellington comes directly from rivers and an aquifer, which depend on rainfall. Low rainfall reduces the amount of water available. Water use increases by up to 50% in dry summer weather, due mainly to garden watering. You can help to take the pressure off our water sources by being water smart with how you water.
Using mulch and the three ‘T’s of watering – test the soil’s moisture needs first, target watering directly to the roots of plants at a rate the soil can absorb and time any sprinkler or irrigation watering to 30 minutes – will help you maintain a healthy garden with modest water needs.
Check out our conservation tips and where to find great offers on irrigation kits, soak hoses, water timers and hose control nozzles now.
Water-smart prize pack winner
Congratulations to Richard Bracken of Waikanae who won a $300 water-smart prize pack consisting of a programmable water timer with a linked moisture detector (which will override the timer if there is enough moisture in the soil) and a seep hose.
- About the programme
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Greater Wellington Regional Council has set up the Be the Difference programme to make a positive difference to the environment of the Wellington region.
- Water conservation
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Water use increases by up to 50% in dry summer weather, mainly due to garden watering. This makes tougher water restrictions more likely just when plants need water most.
- Keep the region's water clean
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It's simple. With cleaner water we have a healthier food chain - from tiny fresh-water creatures like whitebait, native fish such as kokopu and bullies, to larger sea-dwellers like crayfish, blue penguins, seals, dolphins, sharks and orcas.
- Rubbish
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Rubbish is a growing issue for our region. Learn how to cut rubbish by reducing, re-using, recycling, composting and shopping smarter.
- Air pollution from cars
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Air pollution can and does affect us here in the Wellington region. At certain times of year it can get to levels that may cause problems for your health.
- Cutting down emissions from fires
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In some areas, particularly the Wairarapa, Upper Hutt and Wainuiomata, domestic fires are the main contributor to air pollution.
- Biodiversity
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Biodiversity is the combination of all living things in a place. It includes birds and insects, microbes, fungi and plants, people and their pets, and even farm animals.
- eNewsletters
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If you join Be the Difference we will send you 4 email newsletters a year. They will arrive via your email in html format so you can easily forward them to friends. Once the email has been posted out it will also be archived here on the website so there will always a copy available to you. We are currently still in the process of adding archived newsletters following the move from one web host to another so if you cannot find the one you want please get in touch[contact-us-2/] and we can send it to you.
- Sustainability links
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Follow these links to sources of useful information about household sustainability.