Drinking Water FAQs

The experience of 'dirty water' is due to the presence of minute amounts of soluble compounds of iron and manganese that gradually builds up as a coating on the pipe wall. When the normal flow of water is disrupted for any reason – such as during a maintenance shutdown, a sudden break in the pipeline or use of the street fire hydrant – the iron and manganese is re-suspended in the water, causing a brown discoloration.

The water is still completely safe even though its appearance might suggest otherwise.

Usually, the discoloration will gradually clear of its own accord but in severe instances, we may need to assist residents by flushing the mains in the street to restore clear water. 

Please let us know if you are experiencing discoloration issues by calling us anytime on 06 857 8060 so that we can assist you.

During re-filling of the water main after repairs or maintenance, some air may be trapped. This is dissolved in the water under pressure and when released forms fine bubbles of air. This is the white colour that is seen. Leave some water standing in a clear glass and the white colour should disappear after a short time.

This may be due to air trapped in the pipe under pressure, which expands suddenly when the tap is turned on. The solution is to leave several cold water taps just turned on slightly, allowing the trapped air to be safely bled from the line. 

If the problem persists, please contact us anytime on 06 857 8060.

It's a good idea to check your household appliances first. Something as simple as a washer on the kettle that has deteriorated can cause an unpleasant taste. We may need to flush the water mains or check for a valve inadvertently left turned off. Sometimes you may need to seek help from your plumber if normal checks and remedies do not clear the issue. If you are new to the district, the water may be a different taste to what you are used to.

Please contact us anytime on 06 8578060 if you are still having issues and our team will help you.

You can contact our team anytime on 06 857 8060 and we will advise you on your next step. 

Yes. We will fix leaking tobies at the boundary of your property; however, if your toby is within your property boundary (i.e. near your house), you will need to call a plumber to fix it.

Water leaks that occur on private property are the responsibility of the property owner. You will need to call your plumber to arrange a repair.

If you suspect you have a water leak, you should contact your local plumber to investigate it. If the leak is on your side of the property boundary then it is your responsibility to fix it. Please see the image below, which illustrates how to determine whether a leak is the responsibility of the property owner or of Council. After repairing the leak, contact our Finance team on 06 857 8060 and we can investigate whether the invoice can be reversed. For more details refer to our policy, Remission of Water Meter Rates Attributable to Water Leaks Policy (page 8).

Waipukurau water is drawn from three shallow bores within the Tukituki River gravels. The water is disinfected by the addition of chlorine gas to the water at the reservoir.

Water is pumped from a single bore located at the bottom (north-eastern) end of Meta Street into tanks beside the pump station. The water has a relatively high manganese content that requires treatment to remove. The water is disinfected by the addition of chlorine gas to the water at the pump station.

The water sources are shallow ground water bores adjacent to the Waipawa River. The water is disinfected with chlorine gas, which takes place at the pump stations. Water is supplied to Ōtāne via a dedicated pipeline from the Waipawa reservoirs.

There is only one source of water in Pōrangahau, a shallow bore beside the Pōrangahau Country Club golf course. Water is pumped from the bore to storage tanks on Old Hill Road above the township. The water has a high iron content, which requires treatment to remove. The water is disinfected by the addition of chlorine gas to the water at the pump station.

At Kairakau, water is drawn from two separate sources - a bore and a spring - and is stored in two raw water tanks. Prior to entering the containerised water treatment plant, the raw water passes through a filtration process and softening system. The treatment process includes UV and gas chlorination. This treated water is then pumped up to treated water tanks located on the side of the hill above town.  

The water source is a spring on Ouepoto Station, which is tapped and the water gravity fed to storage tanks at the camping ground. At the camping ground, the water is chlorinated and stored ready for use. 

We do NOT allow water to be taken from water hydrants except for firefighting purposes or by special arrangement. For more information on standpipes in Central Hawke's Bay, contact our team any time on 06 857 8060. 

Taking water from Council's supply other than at points authorised by permit is considered to be a breach of the our Water Supply Bylaw. Failure to comply with the bylaw is an offence and is liable to a fine of up to $20,000.

Council has two standpipes available for customers who wish to extract water for use on development sites, road and contract works, landscaping and whenever access to water is limited. These standpipes are located on Racecourse Road in Waipukurau and Waverley St in Waipawa.

The cages to these standpipes are locked and access is granted on application by permit only. The terms and conditions of using these standpipes are included in our permit application. If you require access to the standpipes, please complete and submit this application form.

Our water is precious and a range of measures are required to manage its use. Meters are a valuable tool to measure how much water is being used; identify water loss; provide information to homeowners and ratepayers on how much water they are using; and indicate to Council how it can plan for water use in the future.

Many homes in the district will have a water meter. These are installed next to the toby at the property boundary. Residential properties will no longer have their meters read, but non-residential properties will have their meters read four times each financial year.

The water supply bylaw gives Council the ability to meter the water usage and to align with water sustainability outcomes. If your property has had repairs recently or upgrades completed nearby, Council may take this opportunity to install a water meter, which means some properties will have water meters while others do not. Our long-term goal is to have universal water metering so that everyone who is connected to our water network has a water meter.

Water usage is included in your rates for those properties connected to our network. You will not be charged over and above this unless you are a high user, using more than the allocated 300 cubic metres per property per financial year (July to June).

For more information about the bylaw and our sustainable management plan, refer to these documents:

• Water Supply Bylaw
• Sustainable Water Management Plan
• Water Metering Practice Note WAT02

Council has a large number of meters across the network. They have generally been installed over the past 10-15 years, on those properties where either new houses have been built or there are home businesses, large sections/gardens, or swimming pools. Every property connected to the Council’s water network is entitled to 300 cubic metres of water each year, which most people do not use and therefore do not accrue any additional charges. Additional charges for extra water usage can result from a leak on the property or if people have put in a new garden or don’t realise how much water a sprinkler/irrigation uses in an existing garden. Council has policies to support “remission” of charges when a leak has been detected and fixed quickly. 

When Council put a bylaw out for consultation back in 2021, the current approach was supported. We believe that expanding the number of meters is best done gradually, that is where repairs are being made or new properties are developed. 

Water meters will be in your water toby box, which is a box near your property boundary with a blue lid. If you are struggling to locate this box, you can phone Council on 06 857 8060 and we will be able to help you.

If you are unsure about the location of your meter, please call Council on 06 857 8060 and we will advise you where it is. For the rural meters, these are usually identified by a blue marker. For more details on how to find and read your water meter, refer to our Water Metering Practice Note WAT02.

The only information that is collected is the water meter read, which tells CHBDC the water consumption/usage between reads.  

The Water Supply Bylaw gives Council the ability to meter usage of high water users or to align with water sustainability outcomes.  

If your property has had repairs recently or upgrades completed nearby, Council may take this opportunity to install a meter, which means some properties will have water meters while others do not. All new connections to our water network will have a water meter installed. Our long-term goal is to have universal water metering so that everyone who is connected to our water network has a water meter.  

You have received the invoice because you have a water meter at your property and readings show you have used more than the allocated 300 cubic metres of water per property per financial year (June to July), as included in your rates. 

Reasons for high usage typically include business use, small farming/agricultural activities or swimming pools. A water leak on your property could also contribute to high water usage. If this invoice is unexpected, it could be an indication that you are losing water from a leak on your property. Contact a plumber to get the leak repaired promptly and then our Finance team on 06 857 8060. We can investigate whether the invoice can be reversed.

High users of water could include businesses, small farming/agricultural activities and homeowners with a swimming pool. A water leak on your property could also contribute to high water usage. If you do receive an unexpected water invoice from us, it could be an indication that you are losing water from a leak on your property. Contact a plumber to get the leak repaired promptly and then our Finance team on 06 857 8060; we can investigate whether the invoice can be reversed.

If you do receive an unexpected water invoice from us, it could be an indication that you have a leak somewhere on your property and you are losing water. If this is the case, get the leak repaired promptly and contact our Finance team on 06 857 8060 and we can investigate whether the invoice can be reversed. For more details, refer to our policy Remission of Water Meter Rates Attributable to Water Leaks Policy (page 8).

If you suspect you have a water leak, you should contact your local plumber to investigate it. If the leak is on your side of the property boundary then it is your responsibility to fix it. Please see the image below, which illustrates how to determine whether a leak is the responsibility of the property owner or of Council. After repairing the leak, contact our Finance team on 06 857 8060 and we can investigate whether the invoice can be reversed. For more details refer to our policy, Remission of Water Meter Rates Attributable to Water Leaks Policy (page 8).

There is no reduction in rates for households that use less water than the allocated 300 cubic metres but we encourage everyone to preserve this precious resource wherever possible. Freshwater is a finite resource – we’ve got to look after it. If we take out more than we need or if we don’t protect it, the whole environment is affected, both above and below ground. So, it’s our responsibility to keep that balance right.

Drinking water also has a carbon footprint. It takes energy to UV disinfect the water and to pump it up to storage reservoirs on hills. Minimising usage also minimises energy use.