Press Release – Grey District Water Supply

12/01/2023

Press Release

Grey District Water Supply
The Grey District water network is under significant pressure from the long spell of hot dry weather and increased demand.

The Council has placed restrictions on water use, and Operations Manager, Aaron Haymes, urges residents to take notice of the restrictions and to play their part by doing all they can to conserve water. “If everyone reduces their usage, we have a better chance at getting through this period of dry weather with continued supply,” he says.

“Last week water levels in the bores at Coal Creek, the source of water for Greymouth and nearby settlements, was running at about 2.4 metres from the bottom. This week that level has dropped to 1.7 metres and is falling,” Mr Haymes says.

“With no significant rain in the forecast for the next few weeks, the Council is monitoring the situation very closely and planning for the possibility that things could get worse."

The Council has an ongoing programme of maintenance work, repairing water leaks on the network, and has instructed contractors to ramp up efforts to detect and repair leaks in the district. Over the last week 21 water leak repairs have been made, with an additional 8 on the contractor’s list of repairs to make.

While staff and contractors are constantly on the lookout for water leaks, the Council also welcomes reports of water leaks from the community.

Residents with their own water tanks, relying on rainwater, have been contacting the Council concerned that their tanks are low. With the tightening of national water safety standards making it difficult for operators to comply, the Council is only aware of one contractor, Hokitika based company Service Cartage, who is certified to cart water for residents on the West Coast.

Residents who collect water themselves with small tanks and containers should be cautious about the water source and the cleanliness of containers and equipment used to collect and carry water for drinking.

The Grey District Council will continue to provide regular updates to the community on its website and Facebook, where information can also be found about how to reduce water use.

An article with water saving tips can be found here.

Background

The water system is designed by installing large bores deep into the gravels by the river. You can see the water on the surface of the river, but a substantial amount of water runs underground through the gravels down the Grey Valley.

Water is pumped up from the gravels and then distributed through the network through a system of pumps, pipes and reservoirs. The gravels act as a natural filter so that water is partly cleaned before it enters the network.

We experience supply issues when demand for the water starts to exceed our ability to draw water from the ground. In periods when river flows become low, the water flowing in the gravels reduces as well, so it becomes a perfect storm of high demand and lower available water. The Council has been planning for and will be installing a fourth bore and pumps to increase the supply for Greymouth in the future.

ENDS

Website: www.greydc.govt.nz/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreyDC

Contact: Megan Bourke

Grey District Council

Phone 03 769 8600