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Hawea water supply investigation

Monday 28 July 2008, 7:45PM

By Queenstown Lakes District Council

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HAWEA FLAT

The chlorination of the Hawea water supply, last week, will be investigated by the Queenstown Lakes District Council, engineering services general manager Mark Kunath said.


The supply had been treated with chlorine after e coli was detected.


“This has raised a number of issues for the community, including the fact that the council failed to undertake the agreed protocol of advising the community that e coli was detected and that the supply would be chlorinated,” Mr Kunath said.


The supply was normally treated with an Ultra Violet system, not chlorine.


“The community is not accustomed to chlorinated water and we had agreed to give notice should chlorination become necessary. Understandably the community association wants to know why this did not occur,” Mr Kunath said.


Another issue was the level of chlorine in the supply when it was treated.


“We have received feedback from the community that for a short period of time the level seemed high, given that we have had reports of a strong odour. I have undertaken to seek some answers on that front,” Mr Kunath said.


The association had also sought some answers about whether the treatment was necessary at all.


“Once I have a very clear understanding of what has occurred and why, I can provide some clarity for the association and the community,” Mr Kunath said.