Residents unconvinced water's safe

Makotuku Stream at its head waters on Mt Ruapehu Photo/Bevan Conley

Raetihi's drinking water from the Makotuku River was still not 100 per cent safe, said John Chapman, spokesman for Raetihi Independent Residents and Ratepayers Group.

The move back to the Makotuku River for Raetihi's town supply leaves most residents still concerned about the quality and safety of their water, he said

Even reassurance from the chief medical officer of health that the river water is safe for human consumption whilst tasting of diesel does nothing to allay residents fears, he said.

Since the water supply was first polluted, he said Raetihi has had a substandard water supply from the Makara Stream, often tasting of algae.

"Which means a lot of residents are buying bottled water for drinking and cooking," Mr Chapman said.

The Ruapehu District Council (RDC ) had been put in a difficult position by the spillage.

"It has responsibility to provide clean, palatable water to residents.

"The options are between two rivers, one possibly tainted with blue algae and one that will contain low levels of diesel, leaving the council little choice but to return to the Makotuku in the short to medium term."

A "good" temporary solution would be for Ruapehu Alpine Lifts, as the originator of the pollution, to supply residents with appropriate under bench filtration in their homes to ensure there is no diesel contamination of their drinking and cooking water, he said. "But I doubt that will happen."

Council chief executive Peter Till, said returning to the Makotuku River for drinking water was the best option available to the community at this time.

"Council would not have returned to the Makotuku for Raetihi's water supply unless we able to meet our responsibilities to provide safe drinkable water according to government and World Health Organisation standards."

The Makara Stream could never have been a long term option as a water supply source because of its smaller size and pathway through more open farm land making, it more susceptible to run-off and algae blooms, he said.

"Over the next week as the supply in the system from the Makara is used up residents should start noticing an improvement in the taste and odour of their tap water."