Taihape's water supply comes from the Hautapu River. Photo / Bevan Conley
Taihape's water supply comes from the Hautapu River. Photo / Bevan Conley
The Taihape water treatment plant is making "slow gains" towards being full so that maintenance can be carried out.
On Sunday the Rangitīkei District Council urged Taihape residents to conserve water due to recent rain putting pressure on the water treatment plant.
Taihape gets its water from the Hautapu Riverand, when it rains, more sediment makes the water dirtier and it needs more treatment to make it into clean drinking water.
Rangitīkei District Council chief executive Peter Beggs said the irony was the recent rain meant they had to conserve water.
Beggs said Taihape residents were being asked to reduce their water usage because the reservoir must be full in order to carry out maintenance.
"Last week the reservoir was less than half full. We need it full so we can turn off the water plant, clean out all the filters then reinstate the manufacturing plant again," he said.
A council spokesperson said treatment staff had been working 24/7 to manage the issue and, when necessary, drinking water was being transported from Mangaweka to the Taihape reservoir.
"In order to resolve the issue, we are relying on the community to conserve water so that the reservoir levels can increase," they said.
