Christchurch City Council head of Three Waters and Waste Helen Beaumont says the city's water networks are responding reasonably well to the heavy rain.
She told Checkpoint the flood levels in Flockton area have reduced and levels of the Avon and Heathcote rivers have dropped.
"But the biggest trouble we have actually is in our wastewater network. So people in Shirley and Aranui and a few other places are having trouble flushing their toilets. And I'm sorry, they'll just have to be patient... They shouldn't flush if they see the water rising in their toilet bowl."
Beaumont said it's because pump stations can't clear the stormwater fast enough.
