Where does our water come from and is it safe?

We all expect to turn on our taps and get cool, clear water but do we know where it comes from?

Orari's water is fed from the Temuka Water Treatment plant at Orari. Temuka water comes from five shallow wells at Orari and is piped to the Temuka Reservoir located at Orari where it is treated with ultraviolet light and chlorine to make it safe.

The ultraviolet treatment plant meets the Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand.

The Orari water supply is restricted for domestic and stock water use only. This means the daily allocation is supplied into a tank at a constant rate over a 24 hour period. If the tank is full, the ballcock shuts off the flow.

Who looks after the water supply?

The Council is responsible for the management and operation of the water supply and uses contractors to carry out the maintenance work.

The Council is also responsible for arranging the maintenance of the entire system up to and including your ballcock, provided:

• the ballcock is not located inside a dwelling, if it is then it is your responsibility and,
• the ballcock is not located higher than 6m above the ground, if it is we are not obliged to maintain the ballcock but will assist by special arrangement.

How is water allocated?

Water is sold by the unit with each unit allowing for a supply of 1,000 litres per day.

Inside the restrictor is a jet which controls the volume of water able to be supplied into your storage tanks.

Tampering with the jet or removing it altogether to illegally obtain more water is an offense and may result in enforcement action.

The Council regularly undertakes spot checks of restrictor units and carries out volume checks to ensure the correct allocation of water is being supplied.

Enquiries

For any enquiries relating to the District's Water Supply please contact us:

• Timaru District Council
  2 King George Place, Timaru 7910
  Phone: 03 687 7200
  Email: enquiry@timdc.govt.nz
• Temuka Service Centre
  King Street, Temuka 7920
  Phone: 03 687 7591
• Geraldine Service Centre
  Talbot Street, Geraldine 7930
  Phone: 03 693 9336

Last updated: 14 Jun 2023