Rapid Relief Team donates hundreds of bottles in water drop to Te Awa School

Te Awa School students (from left) Jasire Taueke, Phoenix Gray, Masyn Ratima, and Cullum Wilkins offload donated water bottles yesterday. Photo / Paul Taylor

Three hundred litres of bottled water has been donated to a Napier school in the wake of the city's recent water crisis.

Yesterday Rapid Relief Team donated 500 bottles of water to Te Awa School to distribute among its students and those in the wider community who needed clean water.

Te Awa School principal Tim Van Zyl said the school hadn't run out of water, but had experienced dirty water coming out of taps.

"I know we've had a couple of teachers that were saying they still had brown water yesterday morning and a couple of families also had brown water. I think it would be nice to send water home for those that need it."

As news of the critically low water levels in Napier broke on Monday, Mr Van Zyl said the school considered travelling to Hastings or Havelock North to stock up on water.

"The advice from the council was that it was still drinkable even though it was brown, but I don't think you'll get any kids to drink brown water."

When approached by Rapid Relief Team Mr Van Zyl said he was only too happy to accept and distribute the water.

"They've phoned up and said they've got their hands on a whole lot of bottles of water and they were looking for schools to donate to. We gladly put our hand up."

Yesterday afternoon the school published a Facebook post letting its community know about the water drop, encouraging any families in need of clean water to get in touch.

"We're going to distribute it out to our families. It's for our kids but we'll get our kids to take it home," the principal said.

Rapid Relief Team Hawke's Bay co-ordinator Andrew Taylor said the charitable organisation had approached the council and asked if there was a need for water.

"We called the council this morning and asked if there was a need for water in Napier. The Rapid Relief Team always keeps water stocks for emergencies, also used supporting different reactive and proactive events in Hawke's Bay.

"We contacted Te Awa Primary School and asked if we could drop off some water and the headmaster was very, very receptive to it."​

Mr Taylor said they dropped off 500 600ml water bottles yesterday afternoon, part of a several thousand-strong stock they keep on standby for emergencies.

"They [the council] have got a difficult problem on their hands and supporting them is all the Rapid Relief Team likes doing; showing care and compassion to those in need in our community."