Watercare is asking Aucklanders to pay attention to water use, including how and when gardens are watered. (file image) Photo: 123rf
Aucklanders are being urged to conserve water as the El Niño climate pattern is forecast to bring dryer weather this summer.
Watercare head of production Peter Rogers told Nine to Noon that while reservoirs are near full currently, a surge in demand on dry days can put pressures on the system.
There have been a few dry days over the past few weeks where there were jumps in consumption, Rogers said.
At the peak of summer, water consumption in the supercity could increase by 25 percent - that was an extra 100 million litres per day, he said.
"So that puts quite a bit of stress on our system, but we can actually manage that down just by being wise with how we use water, how we water our gardens - in the morning or evenings [when] there's not as much evaporation, and a range of other water saving tips."
Rogers is asking Aucklanders to consider taking shorter showers, look for any leaks around the house, and report any leaks they may see in public areas.
Soil tended to contract during summer, which could lead to a lot more breaks in water lines, Rogers said.
Lake levels in Auckland had been dropping at about 1 percent a week, he said.