Luggate residents are bracing themselves for water shortages again this summer, despite the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) saying the existing infrastructure is sufficient to service the growing community if everyone helps out.

QLDC will soon launch its annual summer ‘Wai Wise’ water conservation programme, and council spokesperson Sam White told the Wānaka App it will have particular emphasis on places such as Luggate, “where seasonable demand puts most strain on local supplies”.

Sam said the increase demand comes from garden irrigation and the influx of holiday home owners during the holidays. 

“Council will continue working with residents and developers to manage the local supply effectively, especially during the dryer times, and we encourage residents to be mindful of their water usage,” he said.

Luggate Community Association chair Rod Anderson said he has “no doubt that there will not be sufficient [water] to go round”.

Luggate’s water supply borehead. PHOTO: QLDC

The past few summers have resulted in water restrictions for the community, and some residents have told the Wānaka App they can’t see why this summer would be any different, given the council won’t upgrade its bore water supply scheme for another four years.

Detailed design and planning for the Luggate water supply scheme upgrades has been completed, but funding for construction has been deferred to 2027-2028, Sam confirmed. 

“In particular, council has secured a site near Wānaka Airport for the development of three 1,000m3 reservoirs, the construction of which will be staged in line with demand over time. 

“This will ultimately provide a ten-fold increase in Luggate’s existing capacity and future-proof the scheme for at least 50 years based on current growth projections.”

Residents have also questioned why QLDC has approved another new subdivision for Luggate, Lake McKay, given the pressure on water supplies.

Sam said the later stages of the Lake McKay subdivision are dependent on future expansion of the water supply. 

“Specifically, in order to proceed the developer is required to demonstrate later stages will have adequate water supply or undertake any necessary upgrades. These consent conditions were volunteered by the developer,” he said.

Sam added that QLDC is “not in a position to rule out water restrictions for any part of the district this summer or in future years”, but it is planning for the future. 

“With everyone’s help to reduce the annual spike, Luggate’s existing infrastructure is sufficient to support the township’s projected growth until the new scheme comes online,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rod’s advice to Luggate residents is “to invest in water timers to access water at off peak times”.

Read more: No approval yet for Luggate’s water upgrade