On Friday, 9 September, the Mokau Water Supply system water main along State Highway 3 burst near Rangi Street in Mokau. WDC responded to repair the failed water main.

On Saturday morning, 10 September, WDC was notified of a further loss of supply. WDC investigated and found that another section of the same pipe had burst near the water main pump station. WDC contacted the affected commercial businesses in Mokau to inform them of the issue and to provide bottled water. Residents were provided with bottled water where practically possible.

The restoration of the service was delayed because the location of the pipe failure was in proximity to in-ground electricity and telecommunication utility services. Before commencing work these services had to be determined by the utility providers and a street light pole had to be removed. Following this, the pipe was repaired.

We would like to apologise to the residents of Mokau for the inconvenience caused by the temporary loss of water supply. Every effort is being made to ensure that this experience is not repeated. The provision of a reliable water supply for the Mokau community is a top priority for WDC.

Work is already underway to replace this part of the piped water infrastructure in Mokau. During the past year, WDC has been working to install additional shut-off service valves on the Mokau water main that runs underground adjacent to State Highway 3 in the township. This work forms part of the mains replacement project that is scheduled for this coming summer. As a result of the recent issues with the water supply mains, this replacement schedule has been brought forward. WDC will commence the project soon and install a new water main along SH3 from the water main pump station to Rerenga Street.

To complete this project, there will be short periods of disruption to the water supply as we connect it to the existing reticulation network. We understand that this will cause further inconvenience, and we ask Mokau residents to bear with us during this time. Residents will be notified directly before the scheduled work.

Any concerns or complaints about the Mokau water supply can be made by phoning 0800 932 4357 – our after hours call centre operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.