Water Main Break in Waipukurau Leads to Emergency Level 4 Restrictions
Mayor Alex Walker on the site of the water main break on Porangahau Road in Waipukurau this morning, with Council staff. Credit:
Central Hawke's Bay District Council
A water main break on Porangahau Road in Waipukurau has left 4,000 residents on the brink of a water shortage, leading the local council to introduce emergency Level 4 water restrictions.
The break caused the Pukeora reservoir, which serves the town, to drop to 25% of its capacity.
Community efforts to conserve water have raised the reservoir's levels to 35%; however, residents are being urged to continue restricting their water usage to aid recovery.
The break was caused by a major leak on a main used exclusively for firefighting; no residents are connected to the pipe, which the council says it was in the process of decommissioning.