While the situation has improved slightly, the message remains the same — restrict use as much as possible, using water only for drinking, hygiene and food preparation.
“The back-up plant at Waipaoa is stabilised and flowing but it will take time to fill the depleted city reservoirs,” Mr Green said.
The good news is the water is treated to New Zealand drinking water standards and doesn’t need to be boiled.
“We have a plan in place to ensure we have a supply of drinking water to the city should the treatment plant fail again.”
This will include key spots around the city where people can bring their own containers to collect water.
“We have a long way to go before we can be sure all our people have been located, their basic needs met and we are all connected once again.”
While State Highway 2 has opened in the north to Opotiki, and in the south to Wairoa between 7am and 7pm, SH35 from Tolaga Bay to Te Puia Springs remains closed, as is SH2 from Wairoa to Napier.
“It will be some time before Gisborne people will be able to easily drive to Napier.”
There is plenty of petrol in the city with around 100,000 litres cruising in yesterday, and more expected in the coming days.
Food supplies have also been coming into the region, with large convoys coming through the Waioeka Gorge.
Police say there are around 3500 people unaccounted for throughout New Zealand, 99 percent of them in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay.
They stress these are not missing people, rather those who have been unable to be contacted to establish their whereabouts.
There have been 529 welfare assessments done, with more being added daily.
People are cleaning out damaged furniture and possessions from flood-stricken homes.
To support this, the council has teamed up with Aratu, LeaderBrand and Lift4U to open three sites where locals can collect untreated water for cleaning.
Optilog NZ Ltd (end of Dunstan Road, Matawhero), Wash’n Go (156 Carnarvon Street) and Te Tini Porou carpark (corner Huxley and Tyndall roads) will be open Sunday through to Tuesday from 8am to 4pm.
A number of waste services and others are heading to Te Karaka today to help people sort through their damaged furniture.
There have been 85 homes yellow-stickered and 10 red-stickered to date with many more expected to be added to the list as inspectors work their way through the region. A yellow sticker means access to your building is restricted as it may have sustained moderate damage or be on unstable land, while a red sticker means entry is prohibited.
Keep an eye on the Tairāwhiti Civil Defence Facebook for the latest information.