Please note additional location in New Plymouth and amended timings for tanker arrival at New Plymouth locations:

Taranaki Civil Defence Emergency Management Group
Media Release
For immediate release

Event: Ex Cyclone Gita
Media release no: 3
Date/Time: 21 February (updated 4.31pm)

Water tankers deployed

Description of situation

• Damage to the water reticulation network caused by ex Cyclone Gita is having a major impact on water supplies to eastern New Plymouth and townships to the east of the city.
• Water pressure is low or non-existent in the affected areas and is starting to fail in places.
• Water will be available from tankers being deployed in six locations from 3pm to 9m on Wednesday 21 February and from 6am on Thursday 22 February. The locations are:
o Bell Block: Hickford Park car park (end of Smeaton Rd).
o Bell Block: Bell Block Court, outside The Warehouse.
o Waitara: Outside Waitara Memorial Hall, Memorial Place.
o Waitara: Clifton car park, opposite Waitara High School, Princess Street.
o Lepperton: Outside tennis/bowling club, Manutahi Road
o New Plymouth: Outside Mangorei School, Mangorei Road (from 5pm)
o New Plymouth: Rimu Street Industrial Park, Rimu Street, Merrilands (from 5pm)
• These distribution points will be manned by staff from New Plymouth District Council.
• Residents are limited to 5 litres each. The water is only for drinking and cooking.
• Residents should continue using their toilets but should not flush them, and should not refill cisterns with water distributed by the tankers.
• Teams from Red Cross will be door-knocking in affected areas to ensure that the elderly, the infirm and people with mobility issues have enough water.
• Please ensure your neighbours are okay.
• The situation will be reviewed on Thursday 22 February as repair works continue on the reticulation network.

Declaration status
• A local state of emergency will remain in place for the New Plymouth District but has been lifted for Stratford and South Taranaki Districts.

Authorised by
Brent Manning, Taranaki CDEM Group Controller

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