Gas reconnected to central Whanganui properties after two-week outage

Work will continue in local areas such as London St to clear all remaining water currently sitting in main GasNet pipes. Photo / Bevan Conley

Gas has now been restored to 282 Whanganui properties after some consumers went without a supply for nearly two weeks.

However, there is still water in some gas mains after a water leak in a Whanganui District Council water pipe entered a GasNet pipe at St John's Hill.

Since Sunday, February 9, GasNet has been working to restore gas supplies to central Whanganui properties and by 5pm last Friday all consumers had gas to their GasNet meter.

Some consumers did not have their appliances re-lit as they were not at home when a GasNet representative called but should have received a card in their mailbox to contact GasNet.

GasNet general manager Geoff Evans said despite all supplies being reconnected, some water still remains in a number of the main gas pipes; however, this will not affect consumers.

"We didn't clear water out of all mains immediately affected because we were able to bring gas through from different directions," Evans said.

The remaining water in the pipes is critical from a network point of view but is not critical to consumers' immediate supply, he said.

GasNet will also be doing checks to make sure water has not travelled further down the pipes.

Evans said it could take another two weeks' work to restore the affected pipes.

Contractors had noticed water at some connection points around the St John's Hill and College Estate area and will continue to work there to make sure water has not backed up.

However, GasNet has pulled back on resources and will not be making as many holes at intersections and at the end of streets.

All gas supplies have now been reconnected to GasNet meters on consumers' properties. Photo / Bevan Conley

"There's a significant amount of relief felt across the whole team who have put in a significant effort," Evans said.

GasNet wanted to get gas supplies back on as quickly as possible after the outage but, given its scale, it was not something they could fix in a day, he said.

"As we didn't know how it would play out, we just couldn't give anyone any certainty as to when those connections would go back on and that's difficult because we don't like leaving people without a gas supply."

GasNet will now move into a recovery phase and undertake a debrief and at some stage review the process with the council.

Evans said any consumer who does not have their gas supply reconnected should contact GasNet.