Water shutdown looms in part of Kerikeri while pipe replaced

Bulk water deliveries are in high demand in parts of rural Northland. Photo / File

Bulk water tankers have been stopped from filling up at Paihia and Kerikeri while the two Bay of Islands towns grapple with separate water supply problems.

Water tankers, which are busy keeping up with high demand from rural households, would normally fill up at the nearest town.

However, after water demand in Paihia hit an all-time high over Christmas and the treatment plant at Haruru Falls has been struggling to keep up, the town's tanker filling point has been closed.

Far North District Council spokesman Ken Lewis said tankers were also not being allowed to fill up at Waipapa until pressure problems in the Kerikeri water supply were fixed.

In late December, Kerikeri Retirement Village and the nearby New World supermarket complained of plummeting water pressure.

Council contractors found and repaired a significant leak but also discovered an old, undersized pipe which could be restricting flows.

The pipe would be replaced, but that would require the water supply to be shut down temporarily.

"Until then, we are prioritising water supplies to the town to maintain pressure and have redirected bulk water carriers to their closest alternative supply at Kaikohe or Moerewa," Lewis said.

The pipe would be replaced at night next Tuesday to minimise disruption.

Affected residents are due to get a letter this week warning them of the shutdown.

Water carriers throughout the region said they were not inundated with requests over the public holidays but were starting to field calls from lifestyle block owners, baches, and residential houses that rely on tank water.

In past summers, Kaikohe and Moerewa-Kawakawa town supplies have also struggled with low raw water levels and high demand.

Last summer's drought caused water supplies to dwindle across Northland. Water restrictions were put in place across the region, and some towns, such as Kaikohe and Kaitaia, had to have water tanks installed.