Lawns are brown, cars dusty and the sheep are hugging the shade across Central Otago in a dry spell that looks set to drag on
In contrast to the sodden north, water restrictions are in place throughout Maniototo with tankers delivering drinking water to Ranfurly’s schools and hospital.
Relief may be in sight for the town of about 1000 people, however, via an irrigation water supply.
Ranfurly’s reservoir levels are “critically low”, which could affect water quality, according to Central Otago District Council. It is urging residents to dial back water use in any way they can.
“No garden watering. If you need to do washing, see if you can take it to someone outside the Māniatoto. Only flush if you must. Conserve, conserve, conserve.”
The wider Central Otago region is experiencing a hot, dry summer with Cromwell and Alexandra on January 29 recording the country’s highest temperature of the year of 34.2 degrees according to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa).
Last month Alexandra had 305 hours of sunshine, making it the town’s sunniest January since records began in 1930.
Niwa predicts the above-average temperatures and below-average rainfall will continue through to at least the end of March across inland Otago.
Maniototo Community Board chairman Robert Hazlett says water from the Hawkdun irrigation scheme may be available in Ranfurly “within about three days” if efforts to secure the source are successful.
The process of testing, cleaning pipes and re-establishing the flow isn’t easy but was done in similar circumstances about 10 years ago.
“I think people will be very relieved. The fire risk is huge at the moment. If they have a decent fire in Ranfurly it’s going to take a large amount of water out of the reservoir.
“And the swimming pool for kids might be affected if it gets any worse. The most important thing of the lot - somewhere to put your kids.”
He says it’s a worry for the region’s farmers that the dry conditions could continue through autumn.
People in town, however, seem to be taking the heat in their stride and many have seen it all before in what is New Zealand’s driest region.
“People around here, particularly older people, well know what a drought is.”
The golf course is “very, very dry” with fairways completely browned off, Hazlett says.
The Maniototo Irrigation Company this week donated water to allow spraying of a grassed horse area at the local show grounds, where the annual A&P Show was held.
Without it the equine events may not have gone ahead, Hazlett says.
However, competitors were asked to bring drinking water for their mounts.
His advice about dealing with brown lawns: “Just don’t look at them.”
No changing the weather
Duncan Helm’s family is in its 100th year farming sheep and beef west of the town.
He says conditions were good until things began to dry up around Christmas.
“We haven’t seen the end of this. It’s going to take a season change … it’s not going to be until autumn.”
Relief will require a few days’ rain with more to follow that up, which isn’t being forecast at present.
Stock water is key and fortunately supplies are secure. Sheep “seem happy enough” coping with the heat but are staying near water troughs during the hot afternoons.
“I have seen it a lot worse. In 1998 and 1999 we had two years of drought.
“It was pretty poor and we quit a lot of trading stock. We’re a pretty dry climate and everyone around here knows you can’t change the weather.”
The only bonus of watching your lawn turn brown, Helm says, is knowing you don’t need to mow it.
Other towns across the area are being asked to conserve water as rivers and reservoir levels drop.
At the Commercial Hotel in Ōmakau, new owners Jared Miller and Chantelle Walker have put up signs asking customers to conserve water.
They would like to think guests will limit showers to two to three minutes.
“But it’s kind of hard to police,” Miller says.
On the plus side hot, dry weather is making customers thirsty.
“The farmers are being affected by it but we are doing great out of it. Everyone’s hot and they want to come down and have something to keep them cool.”
In Naseby, tourists, many of them cyclists, are being asked to conserve water in what is the third year in a row of a constrained supply.
Royal Hotel owner Adrian Hood says if it gets any worse people may have be turned away.
He feels Naseby has “fallen off the radar” of the district council in not having its basic requirements met.
“A big part of our business is about putting liquid into you. We need enough water for food prep, coffee machines, washing hands and flushing toilets.
“We don’t really know what’s happening. Yet again we’re at our peak season and it’s restricted. What’s the problem?”
Gardens are dying off and leftover water from diners’ tables is being used to try to save plants, Hood says.
Council water services manager Ian Evans says Naseby’s present conservation advisories are “precautionary” in response to the long dry spell, which looks set to continue.
The town’s reservoir is over 90 percent full but the in-flow has slowed.
He says stricter measures such as those applying in Ranfurly could spread to neighbouring towns if there is no rain soon.
Made with the support of the Public Interest Journalism Fund
