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Use of allocated fresh water by region

Regional variations in the use of allocated water, 2010

The bar graph shows use of allocated fresh water by region in 2010. The key finding is that irrigation is the biggest use in Marlborough and Canterbury. Nearly all of Southland’s use is for the Manapouri hydro take. The biggest use in Nelson is for drinking water. Table showing percentage of weekly allocated water for different uses for all regions

Region Drinking water (%) Industrial (%) Irrigation (%) Stock (%) Hydro (%)
Auckland 57 20 23 1 0
Bay of Plenty 22 28 50 0 0
Waikato 32 43 24 1 0
Gisborne 18 0 82 0 0
Greater Wellington 41 2 49 8 0
Hawke’s Bay 9 10 81 1 0
Manawatū-Wanganui 22 10 67 2 0
Marlborough 3 2 94 0 0
Nelson 98 0 2 0 0
Northland 26 7 67 0 0
Tasman 7 5 88 0 0
Taranaki 30 41 28 1 0
West Coast 9 70 20 0 0
Southland 0 0 1 0 99
Canterbury 3 3 89 5 0
Otago 5 24 71 0 0

Notes:
(1) Allocations for stock drinking water are underestimated, because this is generally a permitted activity under the Resource Management Act 1991 (that is, it does not require a resource consent). Therefore full figures for stock drinking water allocations are not available.
(2) Percentages do not always add to 100 per cent because of rounding.

This information is from:
Update of Water Allocation data and Estimate of Actual Water Use of Consented takes 2009–10.

 

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Last updated: December 2010