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High and dry in Mangawhai

 

 

JULIA WADE

thumbnail 04 MF-Bigdry1-609Dust-covered cars, scorched land and water carriers trundling through the streets day and night – Mangawhai is slowly vaporising under a relentless blue sky.

With no raincloud in sight and rainfall across some areas of Northland at record low levels, the district is once again in the grip of a rainless season, similar to the long, dry summer of 2017.

With a drought officially declared on February 11, Northlanders are being asked to conserve every precious drop and councils have suggested via a waterwise website, for Far North and Kaipara residents ‘to dob in water wasters’ seen to be using H20 unwisely. Unfortunately, several alleged thefts of water have already occurred.

Busy local water carriers have been rushed off their wheels, working even into nightfall to deliver water to the parched community, and because of the high demand both Mangawhai Water and The Waterboy have had to stop taking bookings until March.

Waterboy co-owner Hannah McInnes says this was mainly due ‘to lots of empties rolling in that aren’t booked’.

“Not saying my bookings get forgotten but empty tanks are our priority over bookings as it becomes a health hazard when there is a lot of empties,” she says. “We just can’t get water out quick enough… a local source is helping and Auckland Council are helping us carriers but due to demand, Mangawhai’s growth in this last year and with the rainfall being half the amount as previous years, we’re very dry… it’s scary!”

McInnes advises people to follow the well-known common sense measures of handwashing dishes, refrain from cleaning cars or boats, use the local laundry service, place buckets and bowls under all indoor taps and showers, and use the saved water for plants and to fill up the toilet, and ‘don’t flush if its yellow’.

“For stock water try and find a pond. I have a big one and people can come and suck water out of it for their animals.”

Although the drought is draining, Mangawhai’s community spirit is brimming, with generous locals offering tanks, ponds and dams to the water-stricken.

In a statement, Kaipara District Council (KDC) say they are working on how they can best assist with the continuing dry conditions, within the district as well as throughout Northland: ‘Some options are being worked through with providers that may be able to alleviate some of the strain currently being felt. As more information becomes available, messages will be sent through normal channels, such as facebook and KDC website’.

Currently there are two Department of Health approved water sources in Mangawhai, thanks to a private source gaining consent last year, and for the future objective of developing further water sources in the area, council stated ‘At this stage we’re looking at water supply security opportunities across the Kaipara’.

Help is also on offer from Auckland Council and Watercare who have set up water collection agencies where people can fill up handheld containers with H20 for domestic use; Wellsford Community Centre and Warkworth Town Hall, between 10am-8pm.

¢ For more information on community water collection sites visit ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. For more information on assistance with water supply, use and saving visit nrc.govt.nz/drought and bewaterwise.org.nz

The 2020 big dry: Dust from Kaipara’s many metal roads coating trees, homes and vehicles is a constant reminder for residents having to endure rainless months with little relief on the blue-sky horizon. PHOTO/JULIA WADE

“We just can’t get water out quick enough… we’re very dry… it’s scary!”

- Hannah McInnes, Waterboy


 
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