Gisborne's main water supply pipe, which broke in 10 places during Cyclone Gabrielle, was identified as being at risk of a catastrophic failure only months before.
The Gisborne District Council completed its first water safety plan three months before the storm hit the region.
It found safeguards around the main 40-kilometre-long supply pipe were not enough to reduce the "high" risk to an acceptable level.
Gisborne District Council's Director of Lifelines, Dave Wilson, spoke to Corin Dann.
