30 November 2011

Council welcomes reports of water leaks

Christchurch City Council is welcoming community reports of broken water pipes and leaks on roads as Christchurch and Lyttelton Harbour communities head into their third month of water restrictions.

City Water and Waste Manager Mark Christison says since Level 3 water restrictions were introduced on 8 October, Council staff have received a number of reports from the community about water leaks on roads and footpaths around the city.

“Our staff aren’t on the roads 24 hours a day, so it is very helpful to have the public being proactive by ringing in observed leaks on roads and footpaths so we can attend to them as soon as possible,” he says.

Mr Christison says the Council has completed 27,500 water repair jobs since the 22 February earthquake, and Leak Detection crews are continuing to work around the city to identify leaking water lines.

“We’ve also been receiving calls about members of the public who may not be following the restriction rules as well as they could be given the severity of the damage to the water supply network. The restrictions are serious so we need everyone to get on board. The community is doing a great job so far, but there are some people and businesses that need reminding.”

Mr Christison is happy with current water consumption levels, which have been helped by wet weather during October and November, but warns the hottest months are yet to come.

“We are tracking pretty well at the moment but water consumption is starting to rise. As the weather starts to warm up, particularly in January and February, our consumption levels are likely to increase further which is going to be a real test for the city,” he says.

Mayor Bob Parker says the Council's contractors are making steady progress in drilling new wells, repairing reservoirs and replacing water mains. As these repaired assets come back into service it will help take the pressure off the rest of the water supply network.

“I’m confident that if people work together in the spirit of recovery and limit their outdoor water use, as per the restriction rules, we won’t have to go to Level 4, which is a total outdoor watering ban,” he says.

ENDS

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