I read somewhere recently that ‘lucky’ country Australia has the minerals but good olde New Zealand has the water. What a wonderful resource we have.

Friends from Melbourne staying for a few days couldn’t believe how much water we used in the house or the great quality of that water. 

Melbourne is constantly on water rationing and residents are made aware by authorities of necessities of conservation.

Most rural people in New Zealand rely on water tanks or their own bores so we also are careful with usage but are able to manage without Australian restrictions.

This summer has been different from last two years in its challenges.    We seem, at least around our area, to have had enough rain to keep the grass looking green but there has not been much growth apart from dratted weeds.

Most rural residents are in my experience  great weather forecast watchers – and we need to be as we are reliant on it for our water.

Another area of concern is with the quality of water. We used to have our household water directly from our tanks. 

As long as it looked alright and tasted okay we had no real concerns.  We overlooked debris such as leaves, sticks, seeds and other rubbish – not to mention the local bird ‘contributions’.  Happily I can’t recall any family member becoming sick from the water ...

A few years ago we installed an excellent filtration system and began a  regular tank cleaning routine – all of which means we now have top class water.  Townies can’t believe how good a cup of tea made from our tank water tastes.

To conclude – this small note from the Ministry for the  Environment:

“By international standards fresh water in New Zealand is both abundant and clean. We generally have plenty of rain which replenishes our streams, rivers, lakes, and ground water. However protecting the country’s fresh water bodies is a growing challenge. 

“For example water quality in New Zealand varies considerably and in some areas water shortages can be felt at certain times of the year.  We need to look after our water resources in order to sustain our economic growth, natural environment, cultural heritage, and the health and well being of our people.”