Brown water has been coming out of some Napier taps after new water bores were brought online.

Napier people are using almost twice as much water as the national average, as a water shortage crisis in the Hawke's Bay city deepens.

Discoloured water has been coming out of some taps as new water bores were brought online.

On Monday, Napier City Council announced it was implementing a city-wide water ban, just three days after the rest of the city's water supply was chlorinated indefinitely.

SUPPLIED About two hours after council announced the city-wide water ban on Monday, Stuff was sent images of council-operated sprinklers servicing McLean Park on Napier's Latham St.

The ban meant total restrictions on washing cars, filling pools and watering gardens. It was introduced after a weekend of "very high water usage" had left reservoirs at critically low levels, the council said.

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Residents found flouting the restriction could be charged with breaching the water bylaw, and the council could also restrict water flow to particular households. The restriction would be reviewed "later in the week".

STUFF Napier Mayor Bill Dalton.

The council were fronting media at 11.30am Tuesday to brief reporters on the state of water reservoirs.

About two hours after the council announced the ban, Stuff was sent images of council-operated sprinklers servicing McLean Park.

When asked about the sprinklers, a council spokeswoman said McLean Park and Nelson Park on Kennedy Rd were "the only two sports parks being watered and under strict restrictions".

KEVIN BRIDLE PHOTOGRAPHY Napier City Council chief executive Wayne Jack.

"All the other parks will go without. These two are high-spec parks with games booked. The watering is being closely monitored throughout the next few days. The parks and reserves team is also having a team briefing tomorrow afternoon to reiterate the need for common sense," she said.

Residents in the Napier suburbs of Tamatea, Pirimai and Greenmeadows had reported discoloured water since the ban was announced.

About 5.45pm on Monday, the council said it was having "some reverse flow issues" from one of its bores, and its team was flushing pipes to relieve the issue.

ANDRE CHUMKO/STUFF On Friday, Napier City Council shut off the city's chlorine-free taps in Taradale's Tareha Recreational Reserve, after E coli was detected in the Otatara reservoir.

About 7.20pm, the council said the discolouration had come about through bringing two bores "urgently online". "This has resulted in water going through the network in different sections which in turn dislodged some sediment."

Napier Mayor Bill Dalton was asked by Stuff whether he had considered resigning over the ongoing issues.

"I will make no comment whatsoever about such nonsense," Dalton said. "Of course I won't be resigning."

ANDRE CHUMKO/STUFF An up-close view of two of Napier's reservoirs above Tironui Drive in Taradale. The reservoirs are near the Church Road and Mission Estate wineries.

Dalton said he thought Napier residents had been "lulled into a false sense of security".

"My view is that they just need to know that water is a treasure and we need to look after it.

"Napier people are using on average 570 litres of water per head of population per day. The average throughout New Zealand is about 300. The solution lies in the hands of the people of Napier.

"Nobody's denying we have a water issue, and we have a water issue because we are using far too much water. So if we use less water, our reservoirs will build up, and the problem will go away. It's as simple as that," he said.

When asked whether he would drink discoloured water, Dalton said: "Look I'm not going to get into that argument, that's a bit - that's silly, really".

"At the end of the day, we want to deliver good water to our people. The way we do that is to get people to stop using excessive amounts of water."

Dalton said his water supply was not affected by the discolouration.

Napier residents have been reporting frustration and sickness after the rest of the city's drinking water supply was chlorinated following an E coli discovery.

On Friday, the council announced they were shutting off the city's chlorine-free taps in Taradale's Tareha Recreational Reserve "until further notice", and would be chlorinating the Otatara reservoir following a "low level" E coli reading.

Meanwhile, an update on Napier's drinking water problems will be discussed behind closed council doors on Thursday to protect councillors and staff from "improper pressure or harassment".