11 October 2016

Birthday gift of emergency water containers

While Hutt City Council’s Walter Nash Centre marks its first birthday this week with lots of fun activities, it’s also using the milestone to help the community in an emergency.

From 13 October, the world-class facility in Taita will be supplying locals taking part in regular activities with free 10 litre water containers.

In the event of Lower Hutt’s water supply being cut off, residents may be without drinking water for up to seven days. Each person needs at least three litres of drinking water a day.

A large sticker on each of water containers lists the most important survival items residents should have at hand in the event of an emergency. It also lists how to store each 10 litre container once it’s filled with water and that the water be replaced at the start and end of daylight savings each year.

“We’ve had more than 750,000 visitors to the Walter Nash Centre since it opened 12 months ago, whether it’s to watch sports, exercise at our Fitness Suite, enjoy our café or use Taita Library,” says the Centre’s manager Lesley Slieker.

“We saw our first birthday this month as not only a significant achievement to celebrate, but also a way of saying thank you to those undertaking regular activities at the Centre by way of an important gift.”

Ms Slieker says residents have to realise that in a major emergency, such as a severe earthquake, they may be without fresh drinking water for up to a week. They can’t rely on Council or emergency services.

“The free 10 litre water containers will make a big difference for the community. It’s about water resilience. We all need to be prepared and have enough water to survive before supplies can resume.”

The Centre’s birthday celebrations start on 13 October with several activities, including a performance by String Bean Puppets. A photo booth will be set up on 14 Octoberfrom 3.30pm and a screening of a recent hit Kiwi movie from 4.30pm. Saturday, 15 October will feature an obstacle course and sports from 10am.

On 17 October from 9.30am Korikori Kids will have a birthday party with a bouncy castle and face painting, while a rowing competition will run all day in the Fitness Suite.

For more information on activities at the Walter Nash Centre this week, visitwww.walternashcentre.co.nz.

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