Phase D water restrictions for Eighty-Eight Valley, Phase C for Wakefield

 

Phase D water restrictions implemented for Eighty-Eight Valley, Wakefield moves to C 

22 March, 2024

From Monday 25 March, new water restrictions will come into effect for those on Council-managed water supplies in Wakefield and Eighty-Eight Valley.  

Tasman District Council’s Waters and Wastes Manager Mike Schruer says the dry weather conditions across the area are continuing to put our streams, rivers and groundwater levels in decline. 

While the recent augmented release of water from the Waimea Community Dam has enabled urban restrictions to be lifted in Richmond, Brightwater, Māpua/ Ruby Bay and Redwood Valley, other water management zones are being monitored closely to ensure we meet our consented abstraction rates. 

Water users on the Dovedale supply are currently on Phase D restrictions. 

The Wai-Iti dam has now dropped to about 25% full and water release has been throttled back to conserve dam storage and to keep the Wai-Iti river hydrated for as long as possible.   

In order to comply with new rationing levels within the Wai-Iti catchment decided by Tasman’s Dry Weather Task Force, Phase D restrictions will be implemented on Eighty-Eight Valley customers.  

The Council is currently rationed to 80% of its consented limit from the source that supplies Eighty-Eight Valley water scheme. This, in turn, means we had to initially impose ‘Phase A’ restrictions on customers. 

Everyone has complied and thank you for your efforts to conserve water use thus far. 

Unfortunately, with continuing dry weather and river flows in the wider catchment in decline, further restrictions have to be put in place. 

This means we cannot extract more than 65% of Council’s consented limit from the source water so downstream waterways can continue to flow. 

If the Council does not meet the Stage 2 restriction requirements of the DWTF and dry weather continues, we may have to impose further restrictions on customers and go to Phase E. 

Council will be imposing Phase C restrictions on Wakefield supply customers.  

The Wakefield supply is being supplemented by the Brightwater supply and therefore does not have such urgency to reduce usage but we do need to ensure that the Wakefield groundwater aquifer is protected as far as possible. 

Thank you for your co-operation as we try to negotiate this very dry season and minimise environmental impacts. 

Further information on restrictions is available here - Current restrictions - reticulated | Tasman District Council

Under Phase C 

YOU CAN: 

• Wash your car using recycled grey water only. 
• Do essential outdoor washing for safety reasons, using a bucket only. 
• Water your flowers/trees/planters every second day only with a hand held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, watering systems on a timer or a bucket. Watering listed protected trees is allowed using these methods. 
• Water your veggie garden and fruit trees every second day only with a hand held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, watering systems on a timer or a bucket. 

YOU CAN’T: 

• Water the lawn. 
• Fill or top up a pool, spa or water feature. 
• Use water for play. 

 

Under Phase D: 

YOU CAN: 

• Wash your car using recycled grey water only. 
• Do essential outdoor washing for safety reasons, using a bucket only. 
• Water listed protected trees every second day only with a hand held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, watering systems on a timer or a bucket. 
• Water your veggie garden and fruit trees every second day only using a bucket only. 

YOU CAN’T: 

• Water your flowers/trees/planters. 
• Water the lawn. 
• Fill or top up a pool, spa or water feature. 
• Use water for play

Tasman District Council, Communications.

Pigeon Post News, Richmond.

"Dry Weather Task Force Updates Water Restrictions for Tasman District Consent Holders"

 Tasman Dry Weather Task Force update 

Thursday 21 March 2024

Tasman's Dry Weather Task Force (DWTF) has updated its water restrictions for consent holders across the district.  

The following Water direction notices will apply from Monday 25 March 2024 for consent holders in these Water Management Zones:   

Changes to previous week:  

• Motupiko – Stage 3 Commences   
• Rainy – Cease take Commences
• Wai-iti Zones – Move to Stage 2   

Continued directions: 

• Tākaka – Water Management Area – FMU – Stage 1 (a 20% cut for authorised weekly usage) remains  
• Moutere/Dove/Powley Creek – Cease take remains  
• Moutere Eastern Groundwater – Stage 4 (a 65% cut ) remains  
• Moutere Western Groundwater – Stage 2 (a 35% cut) remains   
• Baton/Wangapeka/ Glenrae/Tadmor/Tapawera – Stage 1 remains  
• Stanley Brook - Stage 1 remains  
• Waimea Affiliated and Unaffiliated – No Restrictions  

There has been barely any rain across the district in the last week. The minimal rain that has fallen has been insufficient to break the dry conditions in the soil. 

The upcoming rainfall forecast indicates some showers (for Friday ~10 mm) and possibly some rain mid-week next week (~20 mm). 

However, the NIWA drought forecasting tool still indicates an ongoing dry spell for the next few weeks.    

One positive is that some of the main irrigation takes are tapering off for activities such as hops and early apple harvesting. 

Across the district rivers and aquifers remain in decline at variable rates – depending on their location and level of abstractions. 

Now that the Waimea dam is supplementing flows, the main area of concern is the groundwater levels in the Moutere.  

• Moutere Eastern Deep Groundwater Zone looks to have stabilised with a small rise over last week. 
• The Moutere Western Groundwater has been fluctuating over the last week but overall, there has been a slight rise from the lower level in early March. 

Motupiko has dropped from 246 l/s last week to 196 l/s this week. Without further useful rain this will drop further to the point that a cease take may be considered in the coming weeks. 

The Wai-Iti dam has now dropped to about 26% full (compared to 31% last week) and water release has been throttled back to conserve dam storage and to keep the river hydrated for as long as possible.  

The Waimea Dam is about 93 % full this week. Augmentation has continued with flows being about 2600 l/s to 2900 l/s at Wairoa Gorge with the lower river flow at Appleby at about 1600 l/s. 

Dry Weather Task Force Convenor Kim Drummond said that while the irrigation needs of the horticultural and farming sector were beginning to ease, the effects of minimal rain across the district were apparent on the dry landscapes and paddocks which bore testament to the challenges faced by those still needing water. 

“Many people are feeling the strain of the ongoing dry conditions and the implication of the situation has a wider community interest – while acknowledging the human impact arising from what has now reached drought level, the DWTF must ensure we are taking the right steps and actions to help our rivers and aquifers replenish going forward.”  

MetService mentions Tasman and Nelson in their Weather News Release

MetService

Autumn Settling in ahead of the Equinox

18/03/2024

Covering period of Monday 18 - Friday 22 March

The weather has begun to feel more autumnal, with a noticeable chill felt in the early hours of the day. As we approach the autumn equinox this week, MetService is forecasting southerly winds and cooler mornings.

The week starts with a southerly flow over Aotearoa New Zealand, bringing showery weather, cloudy periods, and brisk southerly winds to the southern and eastern areas of both the North and South Islands on Monday and Tuesday. While the remainder of the country will see some sunnier weather, they won’t escape the chill.

MetService Meteorologist Clare O'Connor details: “A cloudier sky overnight is much like having a duvet on your bed – clouds overnight provide an insulating layer which keep the heat from the day from radiating away. Cloudless nights are often when the coldest temperatures are recorded, and frosts can occur.”

Over the weekend much of the upper North Island experienced their coldest morning temperatures of the year so far, and as we approach and pass through the equinox this week this trend will continue. 

MetService Meteorologist Clare O’Connor, says “unfortunately there isn’t a lot of precipitation on the way for Tasman and Nelson, though it  looks like some showers may drift over off the Richmond Ranges tonight and there is a narrow feature tracking northwards up the West Coast late Thursday and early Friday. Neither of these rainfall events have significant rain associated with them.” 

The autumn equinox occurs on Wednesday the 20^th of March this year, marking the shift to longer periods of darkness as sunrises get later and sunsets earlier. Wednesday is also expected to be the most settled day for weather, with widespread blue skies and sunshine.

Later in the week, a low-pressure system from the Tasman Sea brings rain to western areas of the South Island on Thursday, reaching the North Island on Friday before quickly moving on.

MetSercice Comms.

Pigeon Post News, Richmond.

Your Tech Hubby: Making Technology Simple for Tasman and Nelson Residents

 

                         

Navigating the Ever-Changing Tech Landscape

About Technology

In this fast-paced world of technology, keeping up can be a daunting task. As someone who has often felt left behind by the rapid evolution of computer technology, I decided to pen this article to introduce you to “Tech Hubby”. 

Welcome to “Pigeon Post News,” where we deal with the dynamic nature of online news production. Over the past years the tech landscape has transformed significantly, leaving me feeling sometimes bewildered. Thankfully, my discovery of ‘Tech Hubby’ has been a game-changer. He has the great ability to explain what is happening in a very clear non-tech language that everyone understands. 

Stevan Polder, affectionately known as ‘Tech Hubby,’ has been our guiding light, with a warm smile and decades of experience, he’s the go-to guy for all our tech-related things. 

Here is Stevan’s story.

Whether you need help setting up video calls to stay connected with loved ones, troubleshooting software issues, or simply learning basic computer skills, Tech Hubby has got you covered. "I can come to your home to offer advice on which device would best suit your needs," Stevan explains, "my goal is to make technology accessible and enjoyable for everyone."

That's where Stevan Polder, affectionately known as Tech Hubby, steps in to lend a helping hand in the Nelson, and Tasman areas.

With a warm smile and a wealth of experience, Stevan describes himself as your go-to guy for all things tech-related. "I'm here to help you with all your tech needs," he says in his friendly way. "I've been assisting seniors and the non-tech-savvy with their installations and setups for decades. Technology can be overwhelming, but I'm here to provide patient and reliable assistance."

No need to take your devices to a shop

One of the unique aspects of Tech Hubby's service is his emphasis on creating a comfortable and friendly environment for his clients. "Feel free to invite a friend along if that puts you at ease," he suggests. Prepare a list of questions or topics you'd like to discuss before I arrive. Remember, “there are no dumb questions, only dumb answers!"

As a mobile service, Tech Hubby prioritises convenience and customer satisfaction. "I do not sell anything," Stevan clarifies. "My focus is on providing top-notch assistance tailored to your specific needs." For those with a Gold Card, discounted prices are available, starting from $100 (travel included) for 1 hour at your home, making his services even more accessible to the community.

To get in touch with Tech Hubby and schedule an appointment, you can reach him at:

Phone: 027 23 275 23 or send a text. 

His email is: info@TechHubby.co.nz    

 Visit his website at  TechHubby.co.nz

Whether you're a tech novice looking to learn the ropes, a seasoned user in need of some extra support, you’re setting a new tech device or a new Smart TV, Tech Hubby is here to make your tech experience smooth and stress-free.

Stevan Polder, aka Tech Hubby.

Pigeon Post News, Richmond.