In a press release on Wednesday, September 11, the council said the upgrade has raised the pH level of the water from6.2 to 7.2 to make it less acidic. This will reduce the chance the water will dissolve metals inside old tapware or plumbing found in some properties, which could release small amounts of metals into the water.
The upgrade comes after a “do not drink” water notice was issued to Tokomaru residents after elevated lead levels were found during testing. Further investigation showed the lead was coming from three dedicated sample taps used to test the water which had corroded and the water itself was safe to drink.
The corroded sample taps were used only by the council for testing water quality and were not part of the drinking water supply network. Work is now under way to replace the taps.
The press release said drinking water suppliers have to ensure that the water they supply complies with the Drinking Water Standards, which set maximum levels for metals in water.
Suppliers are only responsible for drinking water quality up to the point of supply, normally the toby outside a property.
Since the “do not drink” notice was lifted on August 9, the council continued extensive water quality testing, including at the Tokomaru School and the Tokomaru Early Childhood Centre.
This showed the water up to the point of supply remained safe to drink and complied with the New Zealand Drinking Water Standards.
The council is still advising people to flush their taps each day, the press release stated.
“Due to the risk of old taps or pipes within properties releasing contaminants into the water, it is recommended that people flush at least a large cup of water out of their taps first thing in the morning – this applies to all residents, not just those in Tokomaru.”
The council will continue to test the Tokomaru water supply monthly until the end of the year, when it will revert to the statutory six-month cycle.
