29 September 2023
Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Burst water main affecting Koutu/Kawaha Point
Enquiry
Appears to be a some kind of burst pipe on corner of Old Quarry Rd and Fairy Springs causing quite a spectacular sight and we understand residents are without water.
What's the plan for fixing the issue?
What caused it?
Will any road closures be necessary?
When can residents expect water services to return?
Response
From Group Manager Infrastructure and Environmental Solutions, Stavros Michael:
Rotorua Lakes Council was notified about the incident at 11.11pm last night. Council staff and contractors went to the site and found a plug on a connection point on a 300mm diameter water main at the corner of Old Quarry and Fairy Springs Roads failed causing a high pressure leak at the road surface.
About 2am this morning, contractors shut off the supply to the water main to enable a repair. Because of where the leak was located the shutdown affected a large part of Koutu and Kawaha Point area, as many as 1800 properties may have been affected.
While investigating the leak, staff noticed there were a large number of power cables passing through the site, (some of which had been damaged by the leak) which made the repair more complicated and slower to complete.
Part of the road had to be closed to ensure the work was completed safely. The repair was completed and water turned back on about 7am.
It is recommended that people affected by the loss of water take the following steps to release any air bubbles that may have become trapped in water pipes while the water was out:
- Turn taps on slowly to release any air from your pipes. Start with an outdoor tap and then work your way through indoor taps.
- If the water has a milky appearance, this is due to the air that has become trapped in the pipes. Let the water sit for a few minutes and the water should become clear.
- If this water does not clear within a few minutes, contact our customer centre on 07 348 4199.
- Here’s a quick video about what to do after a water outage https://youtu.be/Ou_Q4Cx7_Pw
If you have any questions or concerns please contact Rotorua Lakes Council’s Customer Centre on (07) 348 4199.