Major water shutdown - Fernhill residents urged to conserve water

A burst water main meant that all Fernhill residents and businesses were without water for four hours today (Tuesday)


Council contractor, Lakes Contract Services, were advised of the burst main early this morning, and acted quickly to find the source.


“We needed to shut down the two rising mains to figure out where the problem was stemming from. After some major work locating the source of the problem, we’ve managed to get one of the rising mains back up and running,” Queenstown Lakes District Council utilities engineer Bernard Robinson said. “Unfortunately, this won’t cope with the full peak demand for all of Fernhill.”


Therefore the council urged Fernhill residents and businesses to conserve water over the next 24 hours.


“It’s really important that all Fernhill residents conserve water wherever possible. In particular, there is a ban on irrigation over the next 24 hours, until repairs on the burst main are complete. If we can do this, the water supply should cope with demand,” Mr Robinson said.


Residents were reminded that trapped air in water pipes may cause running water to appear milky.


“If you notice that your tap water is milky, this is caused by trapped air. Just run your tap for a few minutes and it will run clear again,” Mr Robinson said.


The council had closed the Townlink walking track while repairs were underway as a matter of public safety.


Fernhill residents were advised that updates will run on local radio stations, or contact council customer services.