Unnecessary water use is banned in Kaitaia, Opononi and Omapere.
The Far North District Council says the current level of drought is unprecedented and people are not taking the situation seriously enough.
Kaitaia could find itself without clean drinking water within the next fortnight due to drought.
The district council says residents there were told to reduce their water consumption by 20% a fortnight ago, but that has not happened.
The council has now imposed more drastic measures on all three towns.
Car washing, topping up swimming pools, water blasting and watering gardens with anything other than a bucket, are prohibited from the middle of next week until further notice.
Failure to comply could result in enforced restriction or a fine of $20,000.
