Raetihi's drinking water from the Makotuku River was still not 100 per cent safe, said John Chapman, spokesman for Raetihi Independent Residents and Ratepayers Group.
The move back to the Makotuku River for Raetihi's town supply leaves most residents still concerned about the quality and safety of their water, he said
Even reassurance from the chief medical officer of health that the river water is safe for human consumption whilst tasting of diesel does nothing to allay residents fears, he said.
Since the water supply was first polluted, he said Raetihi has had a substandard water supply from the Makara Stream, often tasting of algae.
"Which means a lot of residents are buying bottled water for drinking and cooking," Mr Chapman said.