Meanwhile, the Wairoa District Council has no water restrictions in place at present for its residents, while Central Hawke\u2019s Bay only moved to level two less than two weeks ago.<\/p>\n
Bond said water-use rates tended to increase in dry and hot weather, including due to people keeping their gardens watered or using water to escape the heat.<\/p>\n
He said Napier\u2019s resource consent for water meant it was limited to a certain volume from the Heretaunga aquifer, which supplies the city\u2019s water.<\/p>\n
He said aquifer levels were \u201cgood at the moment\u201d but supply issues could arise toward the back end of a dry summer if use rates were not kept in check.<\/p>\n
Parents can still use water play equipment such as children\u2019s sprinklers under the current restrictions, but are asked to be mindful of use rates.<\/p>\n
Federated Farmers Hawke\u2019s Bay president Jim Galloway said the region was well down on average rainfall for the year.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor most of Hawke\u2019s Bay, it is drier than average. We are only at 60% to 70% of normal rainfall for January 1 to now.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said bursts of rain in November and last week had helped, such as keeping patches of green grass green for longer.<\/p>\n
However, he said, some farmers were dealing with low dam levels such as in P\u014drangahau and other coastal areas of Central Hawke\u2019s Bay, while many others had reduced stock levels to a more manageable level given the lack of grass growth.<\/p>\n
He said, fortunately, prices were good at present for farmers, so those who were selling some stock early, such as lambs, were still getting reasonable prices. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt has made it easier to make that decision to sell something, because you are not taking a mass financial haircut,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re still making a profit [albeit] nowhere near what you might have been able to make.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said it was better for farmers than last year, which had a combination of a dry year and low prices.<\/p>\n
He said lamb survival rates had also been good during spring with no volatile weather, which was positive.<\/p>\n