Taps could run brown after cleaning process

Water from taps in Palmerston North homes could run a bit brown tonight and tomorrow morning following a clean inside the pipes.

The pipes from the Turitea dam need cleaning regularly to remove the buildup of small amounts of manganese, a mineral that is safe in drinking water, but can cause discolouration.

Council water operations manager Mike Monaghan said some homes in Turitea would have their water turned off during the process.

The cleaning operation involves inserting a giant sponge into the main pipe, then using the water pressure to push the sponge along most of the way to the discharge point in the Manawatu¯ River. The sponge is then removed and the water and any sediment are discharged into the river when it is running reasonably high.

Monaghan said people who noticed their water was discoloured could run the tap for 20 minutes. If it still was not running clear, people could call the council and it would get the pipes near their house flushed. Homes in Longburn, Kelvin Grove, Bunnythorpe and Ashhurst would not be affected.