Central Hawke’s Bay residents now free to drink water from taps again

The Waipawa River burst its banks during Cyclone Gabrielle.

After 26 days of boiled, bottled, or tank-truck-provided water, residents in Ōtāne and Waipawa can safely drink from their taps, following the removal of a boil water notice on Saturday.

Central Hawke’s Bay District Council said the lifting of the boil water notice would provide a sense of some normality, with nearly 20 per cent of the district’s residents and businesses affected by the water notice.

The treatment plant which provides water to Ōtāne and Waipawa flooded during Cyclone Gabrielle on February 14, with its back-up generator and pumps left metres under water.

With this plant inoperable, the Abbotsford Road reservoir – primarily servicing Waipawa and Ōtāne - rapidly ran dry.

While a temporary repair was made to quickly re-connect residents, it failed due to flood damage, requiring water to be tankered into the reservoir, once again limiting usage to households.

Since then, more than 1200 man-hours have been spent repairing, cleaning, testing and replacing the Tikokino Road Plant’s vital equipment in order to get it back up and running.

At the peak of the event, Waipukurau borefield, which supplies all of Waipukurau, also flooded. However, it was able to be restored within days.

Central Hawke’s Bay Mayor Alex Walker said it had been a hard road with a compromised water supply, as many also faced the mammoth task of cleaning up their businesses, homes and properties.

“We have been so impressed by the strength and resilience of our communities in dealing with this disruption, which has made ordinary tasks like washing dishes, clothing or showering difficult, particularly for those impacted by flood damage,” she said.

“As a measure to protect vulnerable infrastructure, we had to enact water restrictions, as well as placing the boil water notice on the supply to ensure communities’ health and wellbeing.

“We understand the frustration this may have caused, but we have felt the co-operation and support from our community loud and clear.”

“Although the boil water notice has been lifted for our three main townships, residents in Ōtāne and Waipawa remain under Level 3 water restrictions, as our teams monitor the newly built treatment plant through its initial proving period, ensuring that the fix is secure for the long-term.”