Ōākura is the latest town set to benefit from NPDC’s $44m investment in water resilience.

For the next few months, the $2 million investment at the top of Wairau Road will see another bore drilled down to the town’s underground water supply, followed by an upgrade to the treatment process at the Ōākura Water Treatment Plant.

NPDC Infrastructure Manager David Langford said the two projects are part of the extra $44 million being invested to make the district’s water network more resilient.

“It’s exciting to see NPDC’s investments making a tangible difference to our communities. What we’re doing will help us keep the taps flowing in Ōākura for years to come, as well as ensuring our drinking water is always safe to drink,” Mr Langford said.

As a result of water contamination in Havelock North in 2016, new Drinking Water Standards are on the horizon that will help prevent a similar incident occurring in New Zealand. The upgrade of Ōākura’s treatment plant to meet these new standards will see the installation of cartridge filters and UV disinfection.

“We already use chlorine and lime to treat Ōākura’s water but with the new cartridge filters and UV disinfection, the town will have the same treatment system as Okato does for their river-sourced supply,” says Mr Langford.

Once the new bore is up and running, NPDC will decommission one of the two existing bores as it is no longer operational.

NPDC is also investing about $4.5m to improve Inglewood’s water pipes network, with work on this project having started last year.

What does a bore do?

A bore is a hole that is drilled down through soil and rock to an underground water source (aquifer). A pump is placed down the bore to draw the water up to the treatment plant.

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