Urenui Water Leaks Near Zero Thanks To NPDC Upgrade
NPDC’s 18-month water pipes project in Urenui has knocked persistent leaks on the head.
Water loss from leaks is down around 95 per cent on previous years, and the Council is about to begin the third and final stage of pipe replacements (switching from asbestos-cement pipes to PVC pipes) in the $2.7 million project.

“The pipes we’re replacing are about 50 years old and have had a history of leaking and bursting – but since this work began, there’ve been no water disruptions in the town,” says NPDC Project Delivery Manager Sean Cressy.
“We can also see that water loss from leaks in the public network is way down, and we expect it to get to near zero once this final stage is completed.
“The new pipes will ensure that Urenui’s drinking water supply is in good condition for many years to come.”
This last piece of work, on Ngakoti, Ngapaka and Totara streets south of SH3, will take place from the start of next month (JUNE) until the start of September. Road closures and stop/go traffic management will be in place so residents are asked to drive with care during the works period.
The replacements so far have saved about 3,400m3 of water per year – enough to meet the town’s demand for 17 days.
This project is part of NPDC’s $248m investment over 10 years to 2031 to fix the district’s plumbing.
Notes:
- NPDC’s four public water supplies provide about 28 million litres of water per day to just under 28,000 homes and businesses.
- The district has 800km of water pipes, which are maintained by NPDC.