Taps turning off at Kaeo

Wai Care Environmental Consultants Whanga¯roa has notified its 23 customers at Kaeo that it will cease reticulated supply to them from November 23.

The company is now working with the Northland District Health Board and the Far North District Council to find another way of establishing a supply of drinking water beyond that deadline.

The DHB is keeping the Ministry of Health informed of the situation, while the council last week undertook to contact Wai Care customers regarding possible options within seven days.

The Kaeo town water supply was originally owned by the council, which sold it to the Doubtless Bay Water Company in 2000. It in turn sold it to Wai Care in 2008.

Nine of the company’s customers are residential, 10 are commercial, and four are community buildings, including public toilets and the Memorial Hall.

In a notice to customers, Wai Care spokesman Bryce Smith said meeting ever-changing legislative requirements, including the NZ Drinking Water Standards, was demanding, especially when larger suppliers failed, increasing the scrutiny on everyone else.

“The impact is costly, and maintaining those costs is unsustainable for us,” he said, adding that as a small private water scheme Wai Care didn’t meet the criteria for government grants.

The company would dismantle the plant if no means of re-establishing a reticulated supply could be found.

The scheme, which takes its water from the Waikura Stream, has been subject to a boil water notice since 2015, when tests detected the presence of E. coli bacteria.

Customers had also complained about discolouration and inconsistent supply, prompting at least one, Kaeo Farm and Fuel, to install rainwater tanks.

Bruce Mills, Kaeo’s representative on the Bay of IslandsWhanga¯roa Community Board, said it was imperative the township had a good, potable water supply.

“I’m hoping that some good comes out of this . . . And I sincerely hope the company will leave the infrastructure there for future use,” he said.