Emergency repairs are being carried out on a broken water main at Mill Lane in Kerikeri this morning. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Emergency repairs are being carried out on a broken water main at Mill Lane in Kerikeri this morning. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Kerikeri residents are being urged to conserve water after a double whammy of a pipe break and silt in the town’s sole water source depleted the town reservoir.
The need to reduce water use is expected to last until Friday morning, by which time it’s hoped the water storage reservoir will have refilled.
A council spokesman said the reservoir was “seriously depleted” overnight by a water main break at Mill Lane.
The water supply for Cobham Rd, Hobson Ave, Hone Heke Rd and parts of Kerikeri Rd was turned off from early Thursday morning until about 10am while contractors carried out emergency repairs.
Procter Library and the council’s service centre at the John Butler Centre in Kerikeri closed while the water supply was turned off.
While repairs to the water main had been completed, many Kerikeri residents would continue to experience low water pressure until reservoir levels were restored.
“That may take longer than normal due to increased levels of silt in Puketotara Stream caused by ongoing heavy rainfall. Increased levels of silt significantly increase the time required to treat water to New Zealand drinking water standards,” he said.
“As a result, the council is requesting that all households and businesses connected to the Kerikeri supply reduce consumption for 24 hours.”
Taking shorter showers, delaying washing clothes and dishes, and flushing only when necessary were effective ways of reducing water use, he said.
Kaitāia was also affected by a pipe break on Thursday, with the water supply temporarily turned off on Commerce St and Melba St in the town centre until about 12.30pm.
It was not clear if the breakages were related to heavy rain during the past 24 hours.
Flooding across Taupō Bay Rd on Wednesday evening after heavy rain. Photo / supplied
As of noon Thursday two roads in the Far North, Taumata Road (Taipā) and Whangape Rd (Herekino), were closed due to flooding.
Four other roads — Kaitāia-Awaroa Rd, Miro Place (Kaitāia), Peria Rd (Peria) and Mangatoetoe Rd (Kaitāia) — were open but passable only to four-wheel drive vehicles.
Despite the volume of rain overnight emergency callouts were few in the Far North.
Kerikeri Fire Brigade was called to a tree that had fallen against power lines on Conifer Lane, off Kapiro Rd, about 9.40pm on Wednesday and made the scene safe until a Top Energy crew arrived.
Russell Fire Brigade also had a weather-related callout about 11.30pm.
Far North District councillors had been due to hold a meeting at their chambers in Kaikohe on Thursday morning but switched to an online-only meeting so they wouldn’t have to travel on potentially flooded roads.
