Water resilience is on the way for Carterton. PHOTO/FILE
Water tanks that will hold an additional 4 million litres are due for delivery in Carterton mid-February.
With strict water restrictions already rearing their head in the district, the tanks will prove vital to Carterton’s water resilience over the remaining summer period.
The tanks, paid for with money from the government’s Three Waters stimulus, were set to be installed by December, but the covid-19 lockdown caused delays.
They are now due for delivery from Australia to council-owned land to the west of the Dalefield Rd transfer station in the second week of February.
The tank installation, pump, and pipe work would cost about $1.4 million.
As part of the Three Waters stimulus package, work would need to be completed by March.
The maximum supply council can presently maintain is 2500m3 per day.
Since November 20, it has exceeded this on more than 40 days.
Carterton’s water situation was made more difficult over Christmas when UV treatment failed at the Frederick St plant.
In a report to the council’s infrastructure and services committee, consents, compliance and operations manager Rachel Round said at midnight on Christmas, plant operators had to manually switch the water supply over to the Kaipaitangata Water Treatment Plant, “leaving us at constant low levels of storage due to the demand over this period”.
Frederick St was back in operation on January 3, and days later the district’s main bore was also out of action, forcing tighter water restrictions.
At present, handheld hoses are only allowed on alternate days and residents are asked to conserve water.
