Auckland’s long dry summer is being blamed for an unusually high number of water leaks from cracking pipes.

The Waitakere City Council says contractors are flat out attending to calls and the supply of some fittings is running low. Additional resources have been brought in to cope with the extra workload as staff are often working more than 12 hours a day.

The council says last month alone, it dealt with 960 calls from homes suffering major leaks or which had no water at all. In March last year the number was 647. The council is asking people to be patient when there are delays to fixing water problems and suggests households check their water meters for leaks.

Derek Battersby, chairman of the council’s Infrastructure Works Committee, says people need to look out for unexplained increases in water use.

“Read your water meter at night just before you go to bed and then again when you get up the next morning. If the readings are different you may have a leak somewhere that requires immediate attention.

– NEWSTALKZB.CO.NZ