Raetihi tap water drinkable again after spill

Residents in Raetihi can drink the tap water again after the reticulated water supply was given the all-clear.

The water was cleared for showers, toilet flushing and laundry last week, and yesterday residents were told it was also safe to drink.

Residents have been relying on emergency water supplies since the October 2nd discovery of a diesel spill in the stream which supplies the town's water.

Reticulated water is now coming from an alternative source, the Makara Stream.

Ruapehu District Council chief executive Peter Till said it was a relief to finally get the tick from health authorities that the water was safe to drink.

"Getting to this point has been an amazing effort from a whole lot of people from around New Zealand and as far away as Australia," he said.

A public meeting was held last night where the council put forward its plans to start removing the emergency drinking water supplies.

This will involve removing 78 tank sites set up around Raetihi, which were regularly serviced by water tankers.

Some homes and businesses also had dedicated water tanks and pumps installed, which would need to be reversed to return to the reticulated water supply.

"In the interim we will need to continue to service these tanks," Mr Till said.

It was hoped the town could return to using its original water source, the Makotuku Stream, by Christmas.

The diesel spill was caused by a leak from a tank owned by Ruapehu Alpine Lifts on Mt Ruapehu.