Horowhenua District Council has carried out further work to ensure the Tokomaru water supply remains safe to drink.
In a press release on Wednesday, September 11, the council said the upgrade has raised the pH level of the water from 6.2 to 7.2 to make it less acidic. This will reduce the chance the water will dissolve metals inside old tapware or plumbing found in some properties, which could release small amounts of metals into the water.
The upgrade comes after a “do not drink” water notice was issued to Tokomaru residents after elevated lead levels were found during testing. Further investigation showed the lead was coming from three dedicated sample taps used to test the water which had corroded and the water itself was safe to drink.
The corroded sample taps were used only by the council for testing water quality and were not part of the drinking water supply network. Work is now under way to replace the taps.
The press release said drinking water suppliers have to ensure that the water they supply complies with the Drinking Water Standards, which set maximum levels for metals in water.