Moa Flat Rural Water Scheme
Boil water update
Consumers in Heriot and on the Moa Flat Rural Water Scheme are reminded that a boil water notice is in place. Separately, an aluminium advisory is also in place for the Moa Flat Rural Water Scheme. You can read more about aluminium advisories here.
Council advises anyone using water from their tap for consumption (including teeth cleaning and food preparation such as washing fruit and vegetables) should boil it for 1 minute before it is used.
New drinking water standards were introduced in November 2022. Unfortunately processes at the Moa Flat Water Treatment Plant, which was designed prior to this, do not treat the water to meet these standards for protozoal and bacterial measures.
The water source is from Timber Creek, approximately 17km upstream of the plant. The water goes into a large pond which has about two months storage capacity. The colour, natural organics and low levels of silt in this water make it difficult to treat. It needs to comply consistently with requirements of the Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules.
The Council has been working with an independent water engineer to improve processes at the Moa Flat and North Bruce water treatment plants.
Following recent modifications being made to the North Bruce WTP clarifier and extended reticulation sampling showing consistent compliant results, the longstanding boil water notice for the North Bruce Rural Water scheme was lifted on 8 September.
Now that the modifications made at North Bruce WTP have proven successful, Council has commenced discussions with the supplier to implement the same modifications at the Moa Flat plant. Once completed it will take some time to lift the boil water notice for Moa Flat and Heriot.
Council has engaged a contractor to do this work and the contractor is currently ordering materials.
Following completion of the work we would need to be confident that the solution is as effective for the Moa Flat plant, then reticulation sampling and flushing of the network begins. As this is a large rural scheme, we would also need to ensure all non-compliant water throughout the scheme including water stored in reservoirs and tanks is gone. Following that we are required to have multiple days of clear samples at the treatment plant and throughout the network before the boil water notice can be lifted.
You can bring your own clean containers to fill at the water tank available at the Heriot School grounds.
You can read our boil water FAQs: www.cluthadc.govt.nz/boil-water-faqs
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