Christchurch City Council targets top water users

25 August 2004

High users of water in the hill suburbs of Christchurch are being targeted by the Christchurch City Council as part of its “Waterwise” campaign to encourage people to use less water and protect the water supply.

The top 20 per cent of water users in the Port Hills suburbs down to the Heathcote River, including Redcliffs, Sumner and Halswell, are being sent letters advising them that their consumption is high compared with the city average and giving tips about how they can save water. The are also being told they can contact the Council’s technical services team to have someone visit the property if needed to help identify if there is a leak or if water is being wasted.

City Council technical services team leader Gareth Phillips says high water use is usually associated with excessive irrigation and plumbing leaks. “The average water use for residential properties in Christchurch is about 784 litres of water a day,” he says. “The top 5% of users are using nearly 3000 litres a day.”

The Council’s campaign of targeting high consumers of water began last year and has so far covered about half the city. Some significant leaks have been identified. The Council hopes to have covered the entire city by the middle of next year. It will be revisiting a sample group of high water users each year to track any changes in their water consumption.

“In most cases, the high water users we’ve visited have been keen to make reductions in their water use,” says Mr Phillips.

The next areas to be targeted are the central city, Spreydon and Riccarton.

· For information about saving water see www.ccc.govt.nz/waterwise

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