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This is because Watercare reserves the right to close filling stations at any time, for any reason, without notification, although water cartage companies have supply contracts with them. Last month there were two shutdowns of local filling stations. This summer is the first that many carriers can remember when the supply has been shut off and they say it’s a sign of infrastructure not keeping pace with development.
Adding to the problem is the fact that demand from the water carriers’ customers (who are reliant on water tanks for their household water) is higher than it’s been for many years.
ASAP Water owner Gavin Rhind says the shutdowns cause immense frustration. “Watercare gives us no notice and won’t say when it’s going back on,” Mr Rhind says.
Ian Sinclair, of Absolutely Whanga Water, agrees. He has been in the business since 1979 and says this is the first time he’s struck problems with Watercare.
Watercare says that its customers (ie those connected to the network) are its first priority, however water tanker operators are customers too. They have supply contracts with Watercare, pay a fee of around $2000 per annum to use the filling stations and pay the same price for the water they take as residential customers.
“I have reminded Watercare that we’re customers too,” Mr Sinclair says. “The service we’re getting is not good enough.”
Even when the water is flowing at filling stations, it’s become more of a trickle. Water pressure at the Karepiro Drive station has reduced to the extent that it’s taking tankers a lot longer to fill up – Mr Rhind says it can take him half an hour to fill up where previously it took seven minutes. This causes queues of tankers to form; at times, as many as seven trucks are lined up waiting their turn.
Watercare spokesperson Maxine Clayton says filling stations are temporarily closed off when there is high demand, not unusual in summer. “Our first priority is to ensure homes and businesses connected to our networks enjoy unrestricted access to water,” she says.
However there is currently no water shortage in Auckland. The water for Whangaparaoa comes via the Metropolitan network, which carries water from the Waitakere and Hunua Ranges, and the Waikato River. The temporary closure of filling stations is nothing to do with water levels at reservoirs which are at normal levels for this time of year, Ms Clayton says.
Water tanker operators have their own ideas about why their supply line is being restricted or cut off. They say it is an infrastructure failing on the Coast, caused by the large number of new subdivisions – with more people on mains supply, they say the pipes can’t cope.
Mr Sinclair says that rather than reduce the supply to householders, Watercare shuts off the tankers’ supply. “They only have to deal with 15 angry owner/operators then, rather than 5000 residents,” he says.
Ms Clayton says it is not possible to predict future water usage, therefore any further closures of filling stations.
Asked if Watercare was keen to see as many Whangaparaoa residents as possible join town water supply, she said customers are welcome to join the network if it’s available in their area but the ultimate decision is up to the individual.
Dryness continues
NIWA says despite recent rain, Whangaparaoa is still dry and likely to remain so as we head into February.
So far, in January, the peninsula received just 39 percent of normal rainfall, with 26.2mm of rain since the first week of January.
