KEY POINTS:
Water is being trucked to Warkworth while the town's water source recovers from a diesel spill in the Mahurangi Stream.
Auckland Region Council complaint response team leader Rowan Carter said 13,000 litres of fuel spilled into the river from Gubbs Motors, an auto workshop about 3km upstream from the township.
It was not known how the fuel escaped.
The downstream Warkworth water treatment plant had been shut down as a precaution.
Mr Carter said he hoped the plant would be able to reopen within days.
Tankers were bringing water to a reservoir in Warkworth from Wellsford and Snells Beach, but residents were being urged to use as little water as possible.
Mr Carter said the diesel was being contained by inflatable river booms, and sucked off the surface of the stream by "sucker trucks" with portable vacuums.
Council staff had searched the river for wildlife which had been harmed by the spill.
"We haven't come across any dead or dying birds - a couple we saw were partially oiled but they were fine. We've got mangroves there too so we're keeping an eye on those."
- NZPA
