Pipeline fixed, city moves to Level 4 water restrictions

Attending a blessing at Waingake Water Treatment Plant after the city’s water supply was restored on Monday are Tāmanuhiri Tutu Poroporo Trust trustee Parekura Brown Jr, Kāhutia Brown, Maraetaha Inc chair Bella Hawkins and Gisborne District Council cadet water treatment operator Paora Te Rangiita. The city has been at crisis level after its main water pipeline from Waingake was broken in multiple places during Cyclone Gabrielle. Picture supplied

The water is flowing again through Gisborne city’s main pipeline six weeks after it was severely damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle.

Gisborne District Council confirmed the Waingake water pipeline had been reconnected and repaired at all eight breakage points.

“From today there will be a blend of water from the Waingake Treatment Plant and the back-up Waipaoa Treatment Plant,” GDC community lifelines director David Wilson said.

“This 50/50 mix will mean the discolouration will reduce. It will also mean a move to Level 4 water restrictions, reviewed at Easter, which means a continued ban on most outdoor water use such as sprinklers and high-pressure hosing for everyone — industry and residential.

Mr Wilson said it had been an “incredible” team effort to get the work done.

“If you’re connected to the Gisborne city water pipe, you’ve been connected to this water crisis since the morning of February 14, and we thank you for every bit of water you’ve saved.

“We thank our contractors, all the large industries and businesses who’ve made sacrifices and found different ways of operating with less water.

“We thank our community. We noticed how much water you saved.

“If possible, please keep these habits going. We’re edging out of this water crisis but water continues to be a precious resource and any water-saving tips that can be carried on would be greatly beneficial to everyone in our district.

“Please keep doing the right thing and not waste water.”

Mr Wilson said homes that have been yellow-stickered were allowed a special exemption for essential outdoor cleaning.

Otherwise, untreated water was available from Wash‘n Go on Childers Road if you bring your own container between 9 and midday, Monday to Friday.

The restored connection to take water from the Waingake Treatment Plant to the city’s reservoirs was blessed at a special ceremony between the council and Maraetaha Inc at the plant on Monday.

Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz said it was a great moment to have the new parts of the reconnected pipe blessed.

“Back when the damage was first seen from the air six weeks ago we thought it could take months to fix. We thank everyone who made this happen.

“Maraetaha Inc have provided invaluable support and our wider community helped save water to bring us to this point today.

“I also want to thank our team at the council who have worked incredibly hard to ensure the water flows again through our main supply pipe to the city’s reservoirs.”

At the blessing was Bella Hawkins (Ngāi Tāmanuhiri) as a representative of  Maraetaha Inc, which has a Memorandum of Understanding with the council.

Ms Hawkins thanked the engineers, network servicemen and contractors.

“Our main kaupapa was to ensure our city’s water supply is restored to the level expected for clean, healthy and safe supply.

“We thank our community for their patience and care taken during these repairs,” Ms Hawkins said.

“As Ngāi Tāmanuhiri and Maraetaha Inc our contribution was to manaaki (support) and awhi council.

“As landowners of Patemaru Station, Gisborne’s water pipeline traverses through our whenua.

“As a result of the destruction caused, we met with key personnel and staff at the council to help plan actions that encouraged any and all works needed to repair and stabilise the pipeline.

“This has been an ongoing process and we are pleased to be able to have karakia to restore supply to Tūranganui-a-Kiwa.”