Emergency water supplies are being tankered to the North Canterbury holiday resort town of Hanmer as double figure frosts freeze flush toilets and block water pipes with ice.
Police said today they also feared that as temperatures rise water pipes in some homes - many of which are not lived
in full time - could burst and flood the premises.
Sergeant Dave Harvey said local services and the Hurunui District Council had arranged a water tanker to make water available for residents this afternoon at the Emergency Services Centre.
Sergeant Harvey said the cold weather had frozen many pipes and some Hanmer residents were having problems accessing water.
"For some this is becoming health problem as it is not easy to flush the toilet."
"Many properties are having problems with the water toby and pipes being frozen."
Sergeant Harvey said there would be plenty of water available from the tanker but people would need to bring their own containers to carry it.
Sergeant Harvey's other concern is that when temperatures rise, broken pipes would flood houses and cause a lot of damage.
"As Hanmer is a holiday town there are a lot of properties not lived in full time.
"When the thaw comes, unoccupied houses will be especially vulnerable."
He urged owners of unoccupied houses in Hanmer to get someone to check the pipes and turn the water off at the toby tap.
- CHRISTCHURCH STAR
