The ban on outdoor water use has been lifted, effective 9am, Tuesday 9 April 2013.

Rainfall for April to date is below average in our water catchments, but has been enough to raise river flow rates a little more. Although rivers remain at about half their normal flow rates for April, this is an improvement from the start of the month.

The 14 day weather outlook has rain on six days, including the next four, which indicates further improvement in the coming week.

The damp conditions during this week have seen water use remain below 130 million litres (ML) per day since Monday. In general, water use since the outdoor water use ban was lifted has remained low, which is encouraging.

Yesterday’s demand was 124 million litres (ML).

Yesterday’s water supply came from:

• Rivers: 64ML
• Hutt aquifer: 59ML
• Storage increased by 1ML

Lake 2 remains full.

Water use data, last seven days

Thursday 18 April 124 million litres (ML)

Wednesday 17 April 127 ML

Tuesday 16 April 121 ML

Monday 15 April 130 ML

Sunday 14 April 137 ML

Saturday 13 April 125 ML

Friday 12 April 124 ML

(Target maximum daily water use during the outdoor water use ban was 130 ML. Average daily water use for April 2012 was 135 ML.)

We are continuing to operate with only half of our usual reserve of stored water (one of the two water storage lakes at Te Marua is empty while we carry out earthquake strengthening and increase its capacity).

Climate outlook

NIWA's climate outlook, to the end of June 2013, expects soil moisture levels and river flows to take some time to recover.