Invercargill City Council has removed its ban on unattended domestic hosing and sprinkler use in the city.

Water restrictions were put in place on Saturday, 18 February when the Ōreti River flow approached 4 cubic metres per second (cumecs), the point at which Council must apply water conservation measures to protect the health of the river system.

Council Group Manager Infrastructure Erin Moogan said the Ōreti River had risen significantly following heavy rain late on Monday night, as had the soil moisture levels that sustained the river flow.

“The Ōreti River at our measuring site in Wallacetown was this morning measuring at 12.82 cumecs, and while we haven’t seen the full impact of the rain there yet, this is positive for water supply,” she said.

“The catchment saw heavy rain overnight and Environment Southland are keeping a close eye on the flow of the river systems.”

Around 50-60mm of rain fell over the whole catchment during the heavy rainfall, Moogan said.

“We’re pleased to remove water restrictions after such a dry summer and we thank our community for their patience and their cooperation while we look after the health of our precious awa.”

However, Council would continue to monitor the river and keep the community informed as the weather forecast does suggest a possible return to dry conditions, she said.