After weeks of steady rain, all ten of Auckland’s dams are now 100% full for the first time since 2023.
This change comes as a major relief after the city faced possible water restrictions earlier this year, when dam levels had dropped to just 60%.
Since April, the Wāitākere and Hūnua dam areas have received over 1000mm of rain which is about 50% more than usual. Hydrologist Joe Gendall explained that reaching full storage “definitely doesn’t happen every year.”
Earlier in the year, Auckland experienced a very dry start. Watercare’s head of water, Sharon Danks, said the first four months were “exceptionally dry,” followed by four months of heavy rain. She also pointed out that these weather swings could be a sign of climate change.
With the dams full, Auckland won’t need to rely as much on the Waikato River, which is five times more expensive to use due to extra treatment and pumping costs.
Now, the city has enough water stored to last through the summer. Gendall compared the extra water to “nine thousand Olympic-sized swimming pools”.
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