Water clean despite problems

Ruapehu Bulletin, 8 September 1992, Page 13

Water clean despite problems

Despite "teething problems" with Ohakune* s new water treatment plant, the town is being delivered water of much improved quality, the Waimarino Community Board heard last Thursday. Test results to date show less than one faecal coliform per 100 millilitres of water at rest sites at Bum Street, Tawhero Street and Turoa Village. In a report to the Board, district engineer Bruce Dobson said this result was very good. In a test for giardia cysts, "one or two cysts per 1000 litres of water have passed through the water filtration system". The specifications state that not more than two cysts per 1000 litres for more than two hours in 24 should be present: in the treated water, which was also an acceptable result said Mr Dobson. Some of the teething problems were caused by water hammer, due to outdated valves in the old pipe from the supply dam, the board heard. New valves had been ordered and fitted and the problems reetified.

A number of other teething problems both in the plant operation and the testing programme were being experienced, but this was expected to improve, said Mr Dobson. "Everything has been thrown at the plant in its first weeks of opera-

tion," said board member Ben Goddard. He said this was a good thing in that all systems were being tested to the extreme. Mr Goddard said since the plant became operational more water was being used. This was despite there being less people in town for the

ski season. Theories put forward to explain this included that carrot washers were using more because their sprinkler jets were not blocking up any more; and that leaks in the reticulation system flowed more freely because material did rtot tend to block holes.

Mr Goddard (also a volunteer fireman) said the Ohakune Volunteer Fire Brigade had found the water pressure to be much better at certain fire hydrants in the town, for example near Pipers King's Court at the Junction - a high point in the town.