Auckland has missed its water saving target for the third day in a row.
Aucklanders managed to keep water consumption below the target over the weekend but it has risen again since. Photo: Supplied / WaterCare
Water consumption was 415 million litres on Wednesday - 6m litres more than Tuesday, and well above the target of 400m litres.
The savings target has not been met since Sunday.
Water provider WaterCare has asked Aucklanders to conserve water, to prevent a boil-water notice being issued after heavy rain clogged the city's main treatment plant at Ardmore.
WaterCare has asked people to cut water usage by 20 litres per person per day until the end of March.
Chief executive Raveen Jaduram said, although the target was not reached, he was confident Aucklanders were making an effort to reduce water use.
"At this time of year, we would expect demand to be a lot higher," he said.
"For example, on Wednesday 1 March the city used 444m litres - substantially more than it used yesterday."
WaterCare was doing everything it could to increase production at the Ardmore plant, Mr Jaduram said.