Kāpiti Coast District Mayor K Gurunathan is reassuring the community that essential Council services will continue as usual as New Zealand moves into alert level 4 in the COVID-19 response from midnight tomorrow.

“Our essential drinking water supply and waste water services will continue as usual. We are well set up to keep these services running while maintaining self-isolation protocols.

“Kerbside waste collectors in Kāpiti have advised that they will continue to collect kerbside rubbish but there will be no separate recycling or green waste collections from Wednesday 25 March. Please put your recycling in your rubbish wheelie bin, not in your recycling crate or wheelie bin.

“The Ōtaki and Otaihanga Transfer Stations and Waikanae Recycling Centre will close at 5pm Wednesday 25 March until further notice as will Composting New Zealand’s green waste drop-off site at Otaihanga.

“Residents who do not have kerbside rubbish collection are asked to stockpile their rubbish on their own property until the Transfer Stations reopen.

“We all need to act responsibly to keep our essential services running. That means doing the right thing by not dumping rubbish in our public spaces.

“We have been given very clear instructions from the Government and we absolutely need everyone to follow the rules and to be prepared to be in self-isolation for at least four weeks from midnight tomorrow.

“Doing the hard yards now to stamp out COVID-19 will help protect our community from the worst of COVID-19. Failure to stay at home and comply with the rules puts everyone in our community and across New Zealand at risk and will likely mean that we’ll be in lock down for longer.

“I know it’s hard but we need to stay calm and do what we’re told. I encourage everyone to get themselves sorted and to get their neighbour’s phone number, set up a community group chat. Your whanau, friends and immediate neighbours will help get you through this.”

“Stay connected, be kind to one another and stay home.”

For more information on the latest steps and the current situation visit covid19.govt.nz.

For up-to-date information about our Council’s response to COVID-19 and how this impacts our services and facilities visit www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/covid19.

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