Paengaroa and Pongakawa area water notice

Update: Water issues at Paengaroa and Pongakawa

Friday, 18 August 4.19pm

Eastern residents may experience lower water pressure this weekend

Residents in the eastern part of the Western Bay District may experience lower than usual water pressure over the weekend.

This lower pressure is a result of the precautionary flushing Council has been doing this week after a pocket of high pH water was discovered in Paengaroa and Pongakawa on Monday night.

Contractors and staff will be monitoring the situation over the weekend.

People experiencing water quality issues should continue to contact Council on 0800 926 732.

Thursday, 17 August 3.55pm

Western Bay Council has completed manual flushes of their plant and surrounding reservoirs in the eastern part of the district to ensure high-pH water is no longer in the mains supply - which has been confirmed through extensive testing.

However, if your water feels slimy the best thing to do is a precautionary flush of your home water system.

This is the message Western Bay of Plenty District Council is reiterating to residents following the discovery of a high pH body of water in areas of Paengaroa and Pongakawa on Monday night.

Council and contractors have also been flushing home systems where possible and closely monitoring outlying areas.

The advice issued by Toi Te Ora Public Health is as follows: A high pH level means the water is more alkaline than it should be and the main concern about this is that it can cause skin irritation in some people.

People experiencing issues should contact the Western Bay of Plenty District Council on 0800 926 732.

Wednesday. 16 August 5.13pm

Pukehina and Maketu residents who are unsure about their water quality are being advised to do a precautionary flush of their home systems.

That's the advice from Western Bay of Plenty District Council who have been receiving and investigating reports of disparity in water quality in areas neighbouring Paengaroa and Pongakawa following Monday's elevated pH levels for some households.

Council Utilities Manager Kelvin Hill says water with elevated pH levels has been flushed from Council systems but there may still be some isolated pockets.

Maketu reservoir pH readings have remained within acceptable levels since Monday, however flushing will take place this afternoon in the Pukehina and Maketu areas to remove any pockets of higher pH water.

We want to reiterate that if you are unsure about the water in your home system, or if you think it feels slimy, flushing or emptying your water cylinder by running water for ten minutes should solve the problem.

The Public Health advice issued by Toi Te Ora Public Health is as follows: A high pH level means the water is more alkaline than it should be and the main concern about this is that it can cause skin irritation in some people.

If you have any issues please contact Council on 0800 926 732.

Wednesday, 16 August 12.20pm

Flushing and testing of the Council water supply has confirmed all drinking water in Pongakawa and Paengaroa is back within the recommended pH levels from NZ drinking water standards.

However, as per yesterday's advice, if you are in the area (the problem is isolated to the Wilson Road South in Paengaroa and Arawa Road in Pongakawa areas) where an issue was reported or if you are unsure, then you should flush your taps for ten minutes to ensure you have fresh water in your system. If you have any issues please contact Council.

Monday evening's issue is thought to have been caused by a section of water main line that had not been active for a period of time being brought back on line without adequate flushing.

This led to a body of water with higher than normal pH entering the main system affecting some properties in the Paengaroa and Pongakawa areas.

Contractors and staff worked overnight on Monday and through Tuesday to flush this water and test the eastern water system. They also visited properties to manually flush individual water supplies, advise residents and provide bottled water.

During this time Council received 20 calls from residents near Wilson Road South and Arawa Road who had noticed changes to their water. A handful of residents reported skin reactions such as rashes and feeling burning sensations, while others reported having sore stomachs and puffy eyes or that the water felt slimy.

Both manual and electronic testing has been conducted which shows water pH levels are back to normal.

Council will continue to closely monitor the situation over the coming days.

Tuesday, 15 August, 9.30am

Western Bay of Plenty District Council is aware of potential water issues that affected a small number of properties near Wilson Road South in Paengaroa and Arawa Road in Pongakawa overnight.

Higher than normal pH levels in water coming from Council mains were reported and flushed late last night.

Council advises that the best way to test if your home system is holding water with high pH levels is to run the tap and feel if the water feels slimy to touch. Residents who believe they are affected are advised to run their taps for several minutes.

If left running most home systems should completely flush the water within 10 minutes. However, if you are unsure the best idea is to test to see if the water still feels slimy and if so continue flushing until it clears.

Council is investigating the cause of the problem and contractors will be offering bottled water to affected homes today.

Council Utilities Manager Kelvin Hill says water with high pH is not unsafe, but can cause discomfort to people with sensitive skin.