How much water are you using?
You cannot manage what you do not measure
You cannot manage what you do not measure is the key point when it comes to using water efficiently and a water meter is the most effective way to monitor water use.
If you are consented to take more than 5 litres per second, the Ministry for the Environment requires you to install a water measuring device and provide annual water use information to your regional council.
Water meters
Water meters are also beneficial in that they can detect small leaks and losses in your irrigation system and they can track seasonal and annual water consumption on your orchard.
You need a water meter that is fit for purpose, taking into consideration your water source, your irrigation system and your business needs. Installation must be installed to manufacturer’s specifications and calibrated to ensure it will accurately measure flow. Verification that your water meter is measuring accurately is an important step in the process. See your regional information below to be sure your water meter will meet your regional council’s requirements. It is the grower’s responsibility to ensure this is done.
The Irrigation NZ website provides information on ‘Blue Tick’ approved installed water meter verifiers. Click here: Blue Tick accredited companies
Once your meter has been installed, you will need to record and submit your water use data to council.
There are two ways that your water use can be reported. It can be manually recorded and submitted or electronically captured and submitted.
Increasingly telemetry is being used, this allows water meter data to transmit automatically from grower to regulator. This technology also gives grower’s greater accuracy, verifying their take and allowing options to manage their water takes online and from their smartphone. This latter option is in line with government’s proposed amendment to metering regulations see Chapter 5.12 Action for Healthy Waterways Discussion Paper (September 2019).
Combined with soil moisture monitoring, the information collected by your water meter can help you make better real-time decisions on your orchard.
Check the conditions of your water consent to see how often you need to read your meter and submit data. The most common conditions require that daily readings are sent at the end of each month.
Water-take consent holders who don’t comply with conditions of their consent face enforcement action, including penalty fees.
Bay of Plenty
Bay Of Plenty Regional Council
*Avocado trees need irrigation of about 1000L/tree per week to produce a healthy crop. For frost protection, avocado trees need 300-400L/tree per event, based on a 120L/hour sprinkler protecting for about six hours via pulsed application.
*For spray use, water use is about 2000L/ha based on at least 10 applications a year.
*The above rule of thumb is indicative only.
See your regional information (selection, installation and verification) here to ensure your water meter will meet council’s requirements.
Once your meter has been installed, you will need to record and submit your water use data to council.
There are two ways that your water use can be reported.
- Manual: manually record your water use from your data logger (Data logging is the process of collecting and storing data from your water meter over a period of time in order to analyse specific trends) and then enter your use from the data captured into the councils data base Water Use Management System via the BOPRC Council’s website or,
- Telemetry: this is the automatic recording and transfer of your water use directly into council’s database (ie. data captured is networked to be electronically transferred).
BOPRC is stringent in their acceptance of only quality data. Your data must meet National Environmental Standards for measurement and reporting of water takes.
Manual Records
Manual paper records are no longer accepted.
There are significant challenges with the manual approach to measurement and recording data including; unreliable capture, it is prone to error and time consuming for both growers and council manage and process. Many times the data delivered does not meet the National Environmental Monitoring standards.
Telemetry
For all consents issued above 5 Litres/second, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s expectation and preference is for growers to record and submit their water use data electronically. This is in line with government’s proposed amendment to metering regulations.
Northland
Northland Regional Council
Welcome to Northland Regional Council’s Water Meter System. On this page there is a link to register or where registered users can enter their water meter readings directly and see graphs of their water use.
How should you provide your water use data to council?
Most water take consents will require you to install a water meter prior to exercising the consent and to keep a record of your water take. The reporting and recording frequencies will depend on your consent requirements and in an electronic format that has been agreed to by the Council’s Monitoring Manager.
- Manual – Using the online water meter submission system, on an excel spreadsheet.
- Electronically – Telemetry systems automatically record your water usage and transfers the data to a data host which can also be directly transferred to the council’s database.
Manual
We now have an online water meter system that allows you to enter in your water use records and submit to council. There is also an excel spreadsheet available on our website which you can fill out and send back to us and if online isn’t an option, in some cases we will accept manual paper records (Please note this will eventually be phased out).
Telemetry
For all new consents issued for takes equal to or greater than 10 litres per second, the water meter readings are to be telemetered to NRC.
How often do you need to do this?
This will be specified on your consent. Any takes over 5L/sec will be required to record their water usage daily and submit records to council either monthly, or annually by 31st July.
Smaller takes may have less frequent recording requirements and water use records will be required to be submitted annually.
Your data must meet National Environmental Standards for measurement and reporting of water takes.
