Whakatāne and Ōhope residents are advised that the recently imposed water restrictions have now been lifted, as heavy rain over the weekend increased the flow rate of the Whakatāne River to the point that salt water ingress is no longer an issue for the water treatment intake.

The Whakatāne District Council will continue to monitor water levels closely however, as the recent rainfall may only have a short-term effect on supply and future restrictions cannot be ruled out.