Council Chief Executive Karleen Edwards has created a new role to focus exclusively on improvements to the drinking water supply.

For the next 12 months, Helen Beaumont will be in the role of Programme Manager – Water Supply Improvement reporting directly to the chief executive. This is a secondment from her current role as Head of Strategic Policy.

Dr Edwards says having a person or team dedicated to a specific area of focus has worked well in the past, such as with the flooding taskforce.

“We already have significant resources, internal and external, committed to this work and Helen’s position and direct reporting line to me will provide an increased focus and coordination across our organisation.

“The term extends beyond the approved chlorination period because I am conscious of the Government’s forward work programme around drinking water, and the uncertainty that creates, and Helen’s position will assist in focussing on that at a strategic level. With the first Government recommendations likely later this year, and ongoing work through next year involving central and local government, it was important Helen’s term was extended to cover this period.

“It’s pleasing we have someone with Helen’s technical knowledge and strategic vision focused solely on this. Helen has the skills and experience we need, and has established relationships with our technical staff and management, as well as local and central government agencies, to lead this work.”

We've updated our pump station map to colour-code the stations that are not being treated ‑ Estuary, Keyes and Prestons. These appear green while the others standard blue.

As we work through the process of changing the dose rate at pump stations this information will be added. It will take a few weeks to implement the change. The status of those pump stations will also be differentiated in a different shade so you can see at a glance what's happening across the network.

We are still working to get the test results added to the map and hope to be able to do this soon.

Why is the smell and taste stronger in some areas?

The amount people notice the smell and taste can, among other things, depend on how close they are to the pump station. Different pump stations are used depending on demand so you may not be getting water from the one closest to you. There is a map of the pump station locations on our website.

Another factor is the condition of the pipes. Chlorine reacts with a variety of naturally occurring materials in the pipe. It’s this reaction that can cause the variation in smell and taste in some areas and that’s why we’re flushing pipes in the worst-affected areas.

What you can do to reduce the taste
If you fill an open jug with water and keep it in the fridge over time the taste will reduce.

You need to keep lids off containers so the chlorine can evaporate over time.

What if it’s causing skin issues?
If you have any health-related concerns, you should contact your general practice team or family doctor first.

If you call your usual GP’s number after-hours your call will be put through to a nurse who can provide free health advice.  You can also contact Healthline any time on 0800 611 116 for free health advice.

There is background information and a map on our website showing areas of the city where chlorine is being used and this will be updated as we progress. There is also a question and answer section which has quite a lot of detail.

You can call the Customer Contact Centre on 03 941 8999 or 0800 800 169 if you have any questions, or email watersupply@ccc.govt.nz