29 Apr 2017

Cracked pipes mean Waiau using 'double' usual water

2:54 pm on 29 April 2017

North Canterbury officials are finalising an insurance claim to get the district's quake-damaged water pipes and underground services fixed.

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none Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

The government has announced an extra $2.5 million over 3 years for the Hurunui, Kaikōura and Marlborough district councils to meet earthquake costs, though this was mostly expected to go towards building work, such as issuing consents.

Hurunui council chief executive Hamish Dobbie said the township and rural water scheme in Waiau had suffered a lot of damage.

"Waiau township water scheme at the moment is using almost double the water volume that we would expect to be using because of cracked pipes and so forth."

Mr Dobbie said the treatment plant and land it sits on also needed repairs.

He said that apart from insurance, work was under way to tap into a central government scheme helping pay for water supplies.

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