5 Dec 2017

Napier already having drought issues

From The Panel, 4:08 pm on 5 December 2017
Empty water bottle shelves in Napier

Empty water bottle shelves in Napier Photo: RNZ / Charlie Dreaver

It has been a dry summer so far for the city and it's not looking likely to get a respite soon.

The Panel asks how Napier's council wasn't able to give residents more warning - despite a few mentions last week.

Jon Kingsford said, and mayor Bill Dalton has said, no-one could have anticipated the huge water use over a hot weekend, but is it wise to blame ratepayers?

Napier MP Stuart Nash says he would have expected to have been told by the mayor or the council about this but wasn't. He says "I think the Napier City Council might have to have a look at its overall comms plan."

Napier writer and commentator Andrew Frame alerted us yesterday to the fact that after the council's urgent warning to save water, it left the sprinklers on at McLean park. Andrew joins The Panel from Napier.