Bridge Pa residents will be tapping into a new water supply this summer.
Work is underway on a pipeline which will connect the community to the reticulated water supply in Hastings.
Bridge Pa's bore water has run dry during past summers and water had to be trucked in to ease shortages.
Connecting to
the Hastings aquifer will also ease safety worries about bore water, which can become contaminated from septic tanks or agriculture.
Korongata marae trustee Barney Tihema said the water pipe was a great outcome for the community, and most were planning to connect once work was complete.
"I haven't heard from anyone yet to say they weren't interested," he said.
"Our message to the community is: Here's an opportunity, now's the time to hook up."
Local resident Charles Te Aho said he was pleased to see the work going ahead.
"During the summer time we've struggled with water out here.
"Winter's all right, but in the summer it just drains everybody's wells."
The $1.04 million project was largely funded through a $940,000 grant from the Ministry of Health's capital assistance programme which helps needy and high-risk communities improve water supplies.
Households will pay water rates once connected, and may need to update their own plumbing to make sure pipes can cope with the higher water pressure.
Those who don't want to connect now can opt to pay half the annual $178 water rate to avoid paying a new connection charge when they do plug in.
Mr Tihema said the rate was reasonable, and residents would be saved the cost of maintaining their bores and pumps.
Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule said the community, council and health ministry had worked together to find a solution to a significant problem.
"Work on the link from Flaxmere to Bridge Pa and a new network of pipes in the settlement has started, and despite periods of very wet weather there has been great progress," he said.
Work is expected to finish in September and will then undergo testing and commissioning before residents can tap in.
The pipeline links to Hastings' water supply at Wilson Rd, and will be managed and maintained by the council.
