Irrigation is being limited as New Zealand heads into a dry summer.

A growing national water shortage crisis is potentially a sign of things to come, says Auckland climate change scientist Anthony Fowler.

New Zealand is less than a week into summer and many of the country's regional councils have issued water restriction notices.

Fowler said that one way climate change could be experienced in New Zealand will be in terms of the access and cost of water.

MARTIN DE RUYTER/STUFF Ron Wastney kicks at the dry ground that was the lake bed of Eastons Dam on the Coastal Highway. The dam has all but dried up in the current drought conditions.

"The water situation is what we need to address," Fowler said.

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The answer to future shortages could lie in the salt water that surrounds the city, he said.

AC Maria Oosterbaan Desalination units set up in Tuvalu as the country's water stores run extremely low. Desalination is viewed as one option for New Zealand's future water supplies.

He points to Australian efforts to ensure water security through desalination as a guide for future infrastructure investment.

"Desalination is one solution to water issues but it's not going to be cheap."

Desalination is the process of removing salt out of sea water, making it drinkable.

Cities in Australia have invested in the construction of desalination plants to address growing fears of persistent draught conditions.

Construction of the plants have cost around $2 billion each, drawing significant criticism.

Since construction of the plants in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, there has been significant debate around usage.

Most of the plants are currently operating at the minimum production level.

However, supporters argue that the construction of these plants is future proofing Australia's water supply as they function independently of rainfall.

Watercare spokesperson Ramari Young said the company has investigated desalination options for Auckland.

"Watercare has investigated various alternate water supply options, including desalination. Other options are favoured at the moment though further investigation is ongoing."

These other options include expanding the quantity of water taken from the Waikato River.

According to the company's website, Watercare takes 37,000 cubic metres of water to the region each day. The river currently meets between 8 and 15 per cent of the Auckland's annual needs, depending on weather conditions and dam levels.

The company currently has a resource consent application to expand this to 150,000 cubic meters daily.

Young said that given the existing technology, the issues with desalination such as energy usage and waste water outweigh its benefits.

"Other options that are being looked at include wastewater reuse, and other damming options," Young said.

Fowler said that as a city, we will cope with increasing restrictions on water. However, if we don't plan forward then it will be expensive.

"I think we will cope. But coping is going to cost."

A scorching start to summer has seen Watercare remind residents who rely on water tanks to check them regularly.

However, unlike some parts of New Zealand, Auckland is not experiencing a water shortage.