'We're still asking people to conserve water': Repairs to Gisborne water pipeline underway

Gisborne locals are being asked to conserve water, due to a leak in Gisborne's main water supply pipeline. Photo / File

Gisborne residents are being reassured repairs to a burst in the region's main water supply pipeline are running to plan, while water restrictions remain in place.

Residents are waking up to a second day of the conserve water notice, since Gisborne's main water supply pipelines burst yesterday afternoon.

Mayor Meng Foon had been out to the site this morning, where he said repairs were running to plan.

"We've still got a water restriction in place, because workmen are still working on the pipe," he said.

He was "very confident" the pipe would soon be repaired.

While there was no shortage of water at the present time,he said the key message was still for locals to be conservative with their water usage.

"There's plenty of water in the reservoirs and the lakes up at Mangapoike but the problem is the broken pipe."

Contractors spent yesterday afternoon excavating the site and identified a joint fitting as the possible source of the leak.

The council said staff were operating the secondary water supply at the Waipaoa Treatment Plant to supplement the city's water supply by early tomorrow morning.

Contractors excavating at the site identified a joint fitting as the possible source of the leak. Photo / Gisborne District Council Facebook

"Water from the Waipaoa Plant is 'harder' and people may notice a difference in taste, but it meets health standards and is absolutely safe to drink," it said in a statement.

"We continue to ask everyone to restrict their outdoor water use – no use of hoses or sprinklers to water your lawn or garden and no filling swimming pools.

"Conserving water for the next few days will be necessary as the repair is completed and the reservoir supply is restored."

Foon said once they've plugged the leak, they can turn the pipe back on and fill the reserves with dam water overnight.

The mayor is hopeful the repairs be completed quickly but in the meantime they're asking the community to conserve water.

Water pipe blow out please conserve water while the hard working Fulton Hogan team are trying to fix the blow out there about 19 hours of water in the reservoir the Waipaoa water plant is being commissioned tonight Gratitude for your help to conserve water

Posted by Meng Foon on Wednesday, 13 February 2019