Your water's fine, RDC says

Ruapehu council water testing in Raetihi last week.

With no appreciable rain for some time, river and stream flows around Ruapehu have dropped, prompting complaints about water taste and odour.

Ruapehu District Council environment manager Anne Marie Westcott said it was common at the start of summer for council to receive calls concerning the change to the taste, odour and clarity of tap water.

However, she said people could be "totally confident" that their tap water was perfectly safe. "All council reticulated (tap) water is chlorine treated which kills any micro-organisms making it 100 per cent safe to drink," she said.

"Given the recent diesel contamination of the Raetihi water supply it is understandable that people may be more sensitive or cautious around changes to the clarity, odour or taste of their drinking water.

"Although not ideal, any slight taste, odour or murkiness issues in tap water is not harmful."

Ms Westcott said issues were caused by naturally occurring algae in the waterways that multiplied in warm weather when flows were low. "In Raetihi's case the alternative water supply we are using from the Makara Stream is smaller than the Makotuku River which was contaminated.

"The ecology of the stream will affect the taste, odour and clarity of the water with the smaller size and slightly different characteristics of the Makara tending to amplify any effects."

The council and its water contractor Veolia are closely monitoring the flow levels of the Makara. "Council and Veolia are working on some ideas to better monitor and control the Raetihi supply to provide greater protection for the town's water supply," Ms Westcott said.

She added: "At any time people can get ill with things such as rotavirus which is the leading cause of gastro-enteritis in young children, with symptoms such as diarrhoea, dehydration and vomiting.

"When people get sick they naturally look for a cause and some people with gastroenteritis have wrongly attributed their sickness to the water supply."