Masterton watering ban in place
Autumn may have arrived but rain hasn't, forcing Masterton District Council (MDC) to reintroduce a total garden watering ban.
The ban is triggered by low flows in the Waingawa River, the source of Masterton's drinking water.
Before this summer, Masterton had not experienced total watering bans for 10 years, but residents have responded constructively to the bans this summer.
Unsurprisingly, water consumption is highest when the temperatures rise and there has been no significant rainfall.
The maximum usage in Masterton was 17,492,000 litres on 23 January after temperatures had gone past 30 degrees Celsius for a few days prior to the first total ban coming into effect on 27 January.
Consumption dropped by 1,767,000 litres per day after the first full ban and 1,809,000 litres per day after the second ban on 10 February. That’s a saving of around 12 per cent.
MDC's Manager Assets and Infrastructure David Hopman said the council appreciated the conservation efforts of residents.
"We want to thank people for saving water. We know this is a difficult and frustrating time for gardeners, in particular, and we share the frustration with the lack of rain.
"No significant falls are forecast for at least the next five days but the council will, as usual, aim to ease restrictions when flows in the Waingawa increase."
The council is spending $1.6 million a year on renewal of water mains. In the 2018-19 financial year 3.6km of mains were renewed.
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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52.3% Human-centred experience and communication
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15.2% Critical thinking
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29.7% Resilience and adaptability
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2.8% Other - I will share below!
Brain Teaser of the Day 🧠✨ Can You Solve It? 🤔💬
Make a hearty dish. Take just half a minute. Add four parts of kestrel. Then just add one. What have you made?
(Trev from Silverdale kindly provided this head-scratcher ... thanks, Trev!)
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