More drought could bring disease, power outages and food shortages and New Zealand isn’t ready, a new report warns.
Kiwi households could be at increased risk of disease due to a water-shortage induced lack of hygiene, the report says.
The country could also face shortages of fruit and vegetables, interruptions to electricity supply, more frequent watering bans and higher prices – or the introduction of water charges – in some areas.
* Quick!
Save the planet: Why Stuff is embarking on a long-term climate change project * Beach Road: The rising sea and the reshaping of New Zealand * ‘Life-altering’ changes needed to avoid the worst of climate change * Fighting climate change wouldn’t stop our economy, but it might hurt the poor The report raised several questions for further research, one of which has already developed into a project aims to understand the future of drought for New Zealand.
"Although it is true that farmers and rural communities normally experience the full effects of a drought, we don’t have to look much further than the recent Day Zero scenario in Cape Town to realise that urban areas can also be affected by droughts."
Cape Town, South Africa’s second-largest city, was predicted to run out of water in April this year.
Kamish said as New Zealand’s climate changed, water supply systems would have to be adapted accordingly.
"[That] may include new sources, new technologies, increased storage capacity and better management of water usage.
"In parallel, we need to carefully manage the quality of existing and potential sources now, so as not to jeopardise them for future use," he said.