New Zealand / Infrastructure

Boil water notice remains for Clutha District

08:58 am on 12 October 2024

Part of flood-hit Otago are still under boil-water notices. Photo: AFP / FRED TANNEAU

More than 2000 residents in Clutha, Central Otago are still being asked to either boil water or conserve it because of critical damage to the district's infrastructure.

Flooding throughout Otago last weekend overwhelmed several water-treatment plants there.

Clutha District Council deputy chief executive Jules Witt said water-treatment plants were running again, but it would take time for a supply of the treated water to build up.

Floodwaters lingering in Clutha farmland. Photo: RNZ / Lauren Crimp

The Kaka Point and Richardson South rural water schemes were both low, he said, so conserve-water notices were in place.

"Those are two that are particularly low, and they've had very low levels in reservoirs for a number of days now, so people may well be getting short of water there."

Households on the Tapanui, Stirling and South Bruce supplies were still under boil-water notices.

"It will be a little bit longer for the boil-water notices [there], because once the water's up to spec, it takes time for it to be flushed through the whole system as well."

Witt said tankers were available for drinking water in communities with short supply.