After Whangarei's first rainy day in months, Whangarei District Council is urging people to save even more water.
It says the 74mm of rain across Whangarei on Tuesday made little difference to dam levels because the parched ground absorbed most of it.
The Whau Valley dam, which supplies much of Whangarei's water, is now less than half full.
The council says the response to water restrictions has been good, but daily consumption needs to come down even further.
In Kaitaia, where water restrictions have been in place for longer, only 12mm of rain fell during the day and overnight on Tuesday.
Tasman restrictions lifted
Water restrictions in Nelson's Tasman district have been lifted after two days of rain.
More than 20mm of rain has fallen, enabling the district council to end the six week-long limitations on the use of Waimea Plains bore water and of garden hosing in urban areas.
The council says the rain has refreshed rivers and recharged aquifers, although it cannot say the drought in the Waimea area is over yet.
It says restrictions could be reintroduced if there is no more rain soon.
