Boil water notice for Hastings

A Hastings suburb’s water supply is being chlorinated and residents have been told to boil their water after E coli was found in the water network.

The boil water notice was issued to the 280 properties connected to the council’s Whirinaki water supply, just north of Napier.

These notices were being handdelivered to all properties. Information had also been sent to local industries Pan Pac and Contact Energy.

Chlorination of the supply began yesterday and would also continue until further notice. The system was being flushed to ensure the chlorine had reached all parts of the system.

Hastings District Council water services manager Brett Chapman said the instruction to boil water would also stay in place until further notice.

The E coli results were found in the reticulation system not in the aquifer source, and samples taken at the treatment plant were clear.

The reading was at the lower end of detection. ‘‘But any E coli reading is not acceptable, hence the boil water notice and chlorination,’’ Chapman said.