Is Water Delivery Worth It? Planning for a Mangawhai Summer

If your home is on tank water, a water delivery service is worth it whenever rain cannot keep up with what you use, and in Mangawhai that is most often over summer. A delivery costs $235 for 6,000 litres or $345 for 10,000 litres (both including GST) from The Waterboy. Compared with running out on a hot January weekend with a full house, booking ahead is the cheaper and calmer option.

Here is how summer demand works in Mangawhai and how to make sure your delivery goes smoothly.

Why summer is different in Mangawhai

Mangawhai changes shape over the holidays. A community consultation report prepared for the Mangawhai Historic Wharf resource consent application noted around 1,500 holiday homes in Greater Mangawhai compared with 2,100 occupied houses at the 2018 Census. With three or four people staying in each bach, its authors estimated the summer population would grow by between 4,500 and 6,000 at peak.

Kaipara District Council notes that collecting rainwater for drinking and household use is common in the Kaipara, so many of those homes draw on tanks. More people, more showers and more garden watering, all at the same time, means every tanker in the area is in demand. The Waterboy manages a very demanding schedule through summer, and there is often a waitlist.

Is it worth getting a water delivery service?

For most households on tank water, yes, in these situations:

• Your tank is getting low and there is no rain forecast. Waiting usually means waiting longer, because everyone else is in the same position.
• You have guests coming. Extra people can empty a tank faster than you expect. Our guide on how long a load of water lasts shows the maths.
• You own a holiday home or rental. The Waterboy offers a holiday home service that includes guaranteed full tanks, so guests arrive to running water.
• You are moving into a new build. The Waterboy offers a set price for new builds and contractors to get tanks full before you move in.

Kaipara District Council puts it plainly: households with tank supply are responsible for managing and paying for their own water. Its summer advice for anyone on a tank is to “check your tanks are full and you have a water delivery booked ahead of time.”

What you are paying for

Delivered water should be safe to drink. Under Taumata Arowai rules, water carriers must register their service, have a drinking water safety plan, and keep delivery records for three years. The Waterboy delivers Taumata Arowai certified bore water that is UV treated and not chlorinated, so it stays close to rainwater in taste.

How booking works in summer

Book online

During summer, The Waterboy asks that orders go through the website. It gives the fastest response and makes sure you receive a confirmation. Online ordering covers Mangawhai Village and Mangawhai Heads. If you live outside that area, call the office. A charge of $3.50 per km (excluding GST) applies outside the Mangawhai area.

When you book, choosing the next available date is usually your best option in summer. If you need water sooner, there is an urgent booking option.

Wait for confirmation

Your delivery, or your place on the summer waitlist, is confirmed by return text, phone call or email. If you have not received confirmation, your order is not confirmed. A text or voicemail on its own does not lock in a date.

The team aims to confirm within one working day, though there is often a backlog in peak season.

On delivery day

Once your delivery date is confirmed, your water will arrive that day. In summer, the team cannot always give a time. The driver can call or text when on the way if needed. Please do not phone before 6am to ask for a time. If it is getting into the evening and your water has not arrived, call 0800 426 269.

If you need to cancel

Give at least 48 hours notice. Phone the office on 0800 426 269 and email the team. If you cannot get through by phone in summer, email is essential. Without notice of cancellation, the full delivery is charged.

Get your property ready for the tanker

Most failed or delayed deliveries come down to access. Run through this list before summer.

Clear 3 metres of space

The tanker needs driveway access 3 metres wide and 3 metres high. Picture lines running 3 metres up and 3 metres out from the edges of your driveway. Any branches or plants inside that space need trimming back.

Check the hose distance

The truck carries 50 metres of hose. If your tank is further than 50 metres from where the truck can park, tell us when you book. If the tanker arrives and cannot reach the tank, a call-out fee may apply.

Think about the ground

If reaching your tank means driving into a paddock or across grass where you would not take your own car, consider another route, such as a neighbour’s driveway (ask them first).

Dogs, gates and codes

Tie up dogs and leave gates open where you can, or give us the gate code. You do not usually need to be home, as drivers can find most tanks. Some customers send a photo of their tank location, which helps.

Where there is no reasonable access, or we were not told about access issues in advance, The Waterboy takes no liability for damage during delivery.

Holiday home checklist

If you own a bach or short-term rental in Mangawhai:

1. Check the tank level before the season, not on arrival.
2. Book your first delivery before Christmas bookings fill up.
3. Note gate codes, dogs and tank location on the booking.
4. Ask about the holiday home service for guaranteed full tanks.
5. Leave guests a short note about saving water.

Read more on our water delivery service page.

Need water or a tank clean in Mangawhai?

The Waterboy has delivered water to the Mangawhai community for more than 15 years. Book your summer delivery online now, or call 0800 426 269 if you have run out.