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Auckland Council will impose mandatory water restrictions for the first time in more than 25 years as the city faces its worst drought in history.
The past four months have been the driest on record - pushing water storage lake levels below 50 percent for the first time since the 1994 drought.
On Thursday Auckland Council's Emergency Committee voted unanimously to introduce the restrictions - deciding the city cannot continue to wait and hope more rain will come.
Anneke Smith reports.