Wellington Water Restrictions: What Level 1 Means

Quick answer

Level 1 is the normal summer setting in the Tiaki Wai area. Sprinklers and irrigation may run only on alternate days, matched to your house number, between 6 and 8am and 7 and 9pm. Hand watering is allowed at any time, as long as you are holding the hose. Level 1 applies all year in Upper Hutt and starts with daylight saving in Wellington City, Lower Hutt and Porirua.

Water restrictions in metropolitan Wellington used to be announced by Wellington Water. Since 1 July 2026 they come from Tiaki Wai, but the four levels and the alternate-day rule have stayed the same.

Here is what each level means for gardens, hoses, irrigation and tank water, why Upper Hutt never really comes off Level 1, and the plumbing fixes that save more water than any sprinkler roster.

What water restrictions apply in Wellington right now?

Check the current level with Tiaki Wai before you water, because it can change during a dry spell. As a rule, Level 1 is in force across Wellington City, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Porirua through the warmer months.

Tiaki Wai says Level 1 comes into effect automatically with daylight saving in September for Lower Hutt, Wellington City and Porirua. In 2025 that change was reported in late September, when garden sprinklers across those cities were limited to alternate days. Upper Hutt is different: Level 1 applies there all year round.

If a long dry summer drains river flows and storage, Tiaki Wai can move to higher levels. Kāpiti Coast is not part of Tiaki Wai, so Paraparaumu, Raumati, Waikanae and Ōtaki residents should check with Kāpiti Coast District Council instead.

What does Level 1 allow?

Level 1 allows sprinklers and irrigation systems on alternate days only, at set times, and hand watering at any time. Even-numbered houses water on even dates and odd-numbered houses on odd dates, between 6 and 8am and between 7 and 9pm.

Hand watering means a hose or watering can that you are holding. You can water by hand any day, at any hour, but you cannot leave a hose running unattended. The table sets out all four levels so you know what to expect if the level rises.

Level	Sprinklers and irrigation	Hand watering and other outdoor use
Level 1	Alternate days by house number, 6 to 8am and 7 to 9pm	Any time, but not unattended
Level 2	Not allowed	Hand watering only, never unattended
Level 3	Not allowed	Residential outdoor use stopped; vegetable gardens by watering can or bucket
Level 4	Not allowed	All outdoor use banned and indoor use reduced; vegetable gardens by can or bucket

Why does Upper Hutt have Level 1 all year round?

Tiaki Wai simply states that Level 1 applies all year in Upper Hutt; it does not publish a separate reason for the city. What it does explain is what Level 1 is for, and those reasons apply year round.

According to Tiaki Wai, the Level 1 rules help limit water evaporating in the heat of the day, spread the load of daily water demand, and help manage daily supply levels. Keeping sprinklers to the early morning and evening, on alternate days, flattens the peak when everyone waters at once.

Upper Hutt also sits close to the source. The region's biggest supply is taken from the Hutt River at Kaitoke, north of Upper Hutt, and treated at Te Marua, and up to 150 million litres a day may be taken from the river. In practice, Upper Hutt homeowners on lifestyle blocks and larger sections should set any garden system to the alternate-day pattern permanently. If you are on the valley floor in Lower Hutt or Petone, the seasonal rule applies. Our plumber Hutt Valley page covers both cities.

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Cheeky's Plumbers can track down hidden leaks, fix dripping taps and set up tanks and irrigation that work within the Wellington restrictions.

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Can I still run a sprinkler or irrigation system?

Yes, at Level 1, on your allowed days and within the two time windows. From Level 2 upwards, sprinklers and irrigation systems must stay off.

An automatic controller makes Level 1 easy to follow because you set it once. Program it for odd or even dates to match your house number, and keep run times inside 6 to 8am or 7 to 9pm. Most controllers have a rain delay or sensor input, which saves water after a wet night.

Treat drip lines and soaker hoses like any other irrigation and keep them to your allowed days. They put water at the roots and lose less to wind, which matters in exposed spots like Lyall Bay and Seatoun. If you are setting up a garden system, our irrigation systems service can plan the zones and fit the controller and backflow protection the system needs.

Do restrictions apply to water from my rainwater tank?

The Tiaki Wai restrictions are about water from the public supply, and its restrictions page does not mention tanks, bores or greywater. If your tank is completely separate from the mains, check with Tiaki Wai, but the alternate-day rules are written for public water.

The catch is the word separate. Many tanks have a mains top-up valve, and once the tank runs low the garden is back on town water. If you rely on the tank to water through restrictions, make sure the top-up is switched off or isolated from the outdoor taps, and keep a sign on the tap so the household knows which water it is.

Any tank that can connect to the mains also needs backflow protection so stored water cannot flow back into the public network. Kāpiti Coast District Council, for example, notes that homes with two water sources may need more backflow protection. Our rainwater tanks team can set up a tank for garden use with the right valves, pump and overflow to stormwater. Greater Wellington Regional Council encourages collecting rainwater for household use, provided tanks meet the Building Code and local bylaws.

How can I cut my household water use?

Fix leaks first. Tiaki Wai reports that the network lost an average of 37% of its water in 2025/26 across public and private leaks, and it asks residents to fix dripping taps, leaking toilets and broken pipes under the house.

Most Wellington City, Hutt and Porirua homes have no water meter, so a running toilet or a weeping pipe under the floor will not show up on a bill. It can drip away for months. Signs to look for are a toilet that refills by itself, a tap that will not quite shut off, a damp patch or a green line of grass on a dry lawn.

After leaks, the next biggest wins are habits. Tiaki Wai's own advice at higher levels is to take shorter showers and run only full laundry loads, and at Level 4 to keep showers to two minutes.

If a tap drips after you turn it off hard, it usually needs a new washer or cartridge, a quick job for our tap mixer repairs team. For anything you cannot see, such as the sound of water running when every tap is off, book leak detection and Cheeky's Plumbers will trace it before anything is cut open. You can book online for a time that suits.

Listen for water running at night when every tap is off
Put a few drops of food colouring in the toilet cistern and see if it reaches the bowl without flushing
Check under the house for damp soil, drips or rusty pipe joints
Replace worn tap washers and cartridges
Run the dishwasher and washing machine with full loads

Frequently Asked Questions

What time can I use a sprinkler in Wellington?

At Level 1, sprinklers and irrigation can run between 6 and 8am and between 7 and 9pm, on alternate days that match your house number. Even numbers water on even dates and odd numbers on odd dates.

Can I wash my car during water restrictions?

Tiaki Wai's rules focus on gardens and outdoor use. At Level 3 residential outdoor water use stops, and washing the car with a hose is outdoor use. At Level 1 and 2 a hand-held hose is fine as long as it is never left running.

Do restrictions apply to businesses?

At Level 3, Tiaki Wai says businesses can operate as normal but should be responsible with watering. Councils also hold their own bylaw powers to impose specific restrictions.

Can I fill a paddling pool or spa at Level 1?

Level 1 limits sprinklers and irrigation only, so filling a pool by hand-held hose is allowed. Check the current level first, as higher levels restrict outdoor water use.

Who enforces water restrictions in Wellington?

Tiaki Wai sets and publishes the restriction levels for Wellington City, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Porirua. Kāpiti Coast District Council manages its own supply.

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