Media release, 9:30am 20 April 2017

Update #33

Boil water notice lifted

Multiple areas of the District were under a boil water notice due to the risk of contamination. This notice has now been lifted for all those on a Council supply.

To clarify – A majority of people are on Council supply (especially in towns and built up areas). If you have a meter at your gate it is Council supply. If you haven't got a meter and you have a tank or well on your property then you may have your own water supply. We suggest you continue to boil water until you have had it tested.

Odour complaints

In two locations (Tāneatua and Edgecumbe), sewage ponds were overtopped by external flood waters and contaminated adjacent private paddocks. We have arranged for a contractor to treat the sites with aerial application of lime to disinfect the surface and reduce odours. Grass seed will then be applied to reinstate pasture in those areas.

NZ Post

Most mail delivery has re-started but mail is being held for affected properties. People can collect from the NZ Post depot on Commerce Street from 7am to 10:30am with appropriate identification.

Residents can fill out a free 2 month redirection at the Whakatāne Post Shop, the Kawerau Post Shop or on line here.

Roads

Open with caution

• Ruatāhuna Road – Section between Te Whāiti and Pāpueru

• Edgecumbe – Urban Streets

• Edgecumbe Soldiers Road

Closed

• Kopuriki Road - Rabbit Bridge

• Te Whāiti Road – Through Te Urewera Hills

• Troutbeck Road – Horomanga Bridge

• Waikaremoana Road - Wairoa side

• Matahī Valley Road – From the Lions Hut, 14km along road

• Galatea Road – MacDonald Road to Te Mahoe Village

• State Highway 2 - Waimana

Road access is available to Ruatāhuna, via the detour through Timberlands forest roads between Murupara and Minginui.

Power (Horizon)

Horizon Networks now report there are no more areas without electrical power, and it is focusing on individual customer faults. A number of properties are without power in Edgecumbe due to a major cable fault and unlikely to restore power before Friday.

Central Government funding

Central government have made $700,000 available to help businesses affected by the flooding in Edgecumbe and the Bay of Plenty. We are working through what that looks like and how it will be made available and we’ll let everyone know more when we do. You can read the full media release on the Beehive website https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/extra-700000-support-bay-plenty or contact Ged Casey from the Eastern Bay Chamber of Commerce on 027 5627500.

Volunteers

Ngāti Awa Volunteer Army is now into their sixth day (as of Thursday) of clean-up and have provided an incredible 4,560 volunteer hours. More than 1140 people have registered to volunteer, including visitors from overseas (countries such as Germany, United States and Czech Republic.) Close to 200 properties have been cleaned. For more information visitwww.boprc.govt.nz/volunteerhub

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