Wherever we live we need to be careful about our water use, because getting it to our taps and treating the wastewater which leaves our homes costs us money.
In New Zealand water availability varies, depending on the season, the area in which you live and the surrounding geography, and population density. Freshwater is continually renewed in an ongoing cycle, evaporating into the air and then being released as rain, but in New Zealand this rain doesn’t always fall in the areas which need it most. Some parts of New Zealand such as the South Island’s West Coast and the Central North Island have a high rainfall, whereas eastern parts of New Zealand such as Auckland, Canterbury, and the Bay of Plenty (which are also some of the most densely populated areas of New Zealand) receive the least rainfall, especially during the summer when water demand is high. Another problem is that much of our rainfall occurs in winter when demand is relatively low. Climate change will also have an impact on households, in terms of water availability and the cost of water treatment.
The New Zealand Climate Change Solutions website has more information about the science of, and New Zealand’s solution to climate change.
