Requests for Kaitaia residents to voluntarily reduce their water use have now become compulsory.

The Far North District Council says if these measures do not reduce the water take, Kaitaia could be without drinking water in the next fortnight.

The council says the situation really is critical, with the drought conditions affecting some wastewater treatment plants.

Spokesman David Penny says the only choice it has got is to achieve an immediate 20 percent cut in the volume of water Kaitaia is using. That means people must stop all discretionary use, and confine their water use to absolute essentials.

Mr Penny says water meters will be monitored periodically, and if necessary, disciplinary action like fines, will be implemented.

Meanwhile it’s no surprise that Auckland has had a record dry February.  WeatherWatch.co.nz says with the Auckland region bordering Northland it makes geographical sense that the city is drying out.

Around Auckland the ground is cracking and while it’s hard to see the effects of a dry February one look at Mt Eden or One Tree Hills shows nothing but dry brown grass.

The next region south of Auckland, Waikato, had a number of thunderstorms and showers during early February and combined with a narrow but significant rain event it’s meant that region has avoided a drought.