MEDIA RELEASE

Ruapehu District Council

Date: Wednesday 16 October 2013

Weather Bomb Floods Waste Water Treatment Plants

Ruapehu residents living around the Makotuku Stream and Mangawhero River are being advised to stay away from the waterways until further notice following both the Raetihi and Ohakune waste water treatment plants being flooded in yesterday’s weather bomb.

Ruapehu District Council (RDC) Chief Executive and Civil Defence Controller, Peter Till, said that Council has put up signs advising people to not drink, swim, bath or collect food from the waterways until further notice.

“The rain fall yesterday was an extreme event that saw the level of the rivers rise by several metres and flood both waste water treatment plants,” he said.

“Although the volume of water was enormous and the sewerage would have been heavily diluted people should stay away from both waterways until advised.”

“Unfortunately when you get hit by an extreme weather event such as this there is little that can be done.”

Mr Till said that both Raetihi and Ohakune residents were asked to conserve water for a time as the drinking water treatment plants stop production during flood events.

Even though getting this volume of rain in such a short space of time is a rare event Council will look into whether the stop banks protecting the waste water treatment plants from the waterways are high enough.

ENDS

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