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Pauanui Aquifer Reconfiguration Project

Project typeUtilities Project
Project value$300,000

Works to upgrade the Pauanui bores to redirect all the bore water to one location have been completed at a cost of just over $300,000.

Pauanui's drinking water is treated as a "one supply" even though the principal and most safe and secure source, the Oturu Stream, provides 99% of the water annually and 70% during the holiday peak. The ground water source, comprising three bores, is only utilised in peak demand periods but still must be sampled monthly as dictated by legislation and the Drinking Water Standards.

Previously only one of the bores pumped into the Gallagher Park reservoir, with the other two directly pumping into the reticulation. UV disinfection was undertaken for all bore water, with bore 1 receiving UV treatment when the water is pumped out of the Gallagher Park reservoir and bores 2 and 3 having their own UV units (in sheds near the bores).

The reconfiguration project has redirected the three bores to a central treatment area and includes a number of other upgrades, including cartridge filtration, power, new pipework, improvements at the bore heads and the monitoring of bore water.

Individual flow and turbidity meters have been included on each bore allowing control of the flow to the new cartridge filter. Meanwhile the turbidity meters will measure and monitor contaminants (silt, sand, protozoa, etc) within the supply and the removal of contaminants through the 1-micron cartridge filter.

The bore heads have been upgraded and the new enclosures have been constructed around them. This work will secure and reduce the risk of contaminants finding their way down from the surface. The bores previously had no ability to flush prior to the water entering the town supply. The pipework upgrades will allow us to run each bore to waste, flushing the bore prior to the water making its way in the system.

The bore field now has:

Greater bore head security
The ability to flush the bores prior to use
All the bore water passing through a cartridge filter
Flow and turbidity monitored continuously
The capability to be operated remotely

The three bores are now pumped through the cartridge filter unit in Gallagher Park and thence to the Gallagher Park reservoir. As demand dictates, the water is then pumped through a UV disinfection unit to the reticulation.

Pauanui Aquifer Reconfiguration project FAQs

A list of Frequently Asked Questions about the Pauanui Aquifer Reconfiguration Project and drinking water quality issues.

1- Pauanui's drinking water has "failed" giardia, cryptosporidia and arsenic levels. At the levels found could this contribute to people getting sick?

There have been no positive results for bacteria or other harmful agents in water quality samples. The water supply did not fail, rather it was deemed non-compliant with the testing regime.This is because during peak population periods a higher number of samples is required to be taken than during off-peak periods. Our Council has now successfully argued that this higher number of samples is not required for the few weeks of peak population. Also, if a sample is not taken within the mandated timeframe, then the water supply is deemed non-compliant. Sometimes our water service contractors are responding to urgent water supply issues, such as emergency repairs to leaks, and are unable to take a sample within the mandated timeframe. All of these can mean a water supply system is deemed non-compliant.

2 - How is the drinking water at Pauanui tested at the moment? Are there plans to improve the testing?

There is a testing regime mandated by the Drinking Water Standards. Samples are taken at the source, at the treatment plant and randomly throughout the distribution network. Testing requirements are population-based and can be found in the DWS available on the Ministry of Health website. Additional testing is not required.

3 - What is Council doing to improve water quality standards at Pauanui?

We have completed a $300,000 project to reconfigure the bores in Pauanui so that water from them is pumped through a cartridge filter unit in Gallagher Park and then to the Gallagher Park reservoir. As demand dictates, the water is then pumped through a UV disinfectino unit to the reticulation. Enclosures have been built around the bore heads to reduce the risk of contaminants entering from the surface and the bores can now be flushed before the water enters the system. Water flow and turbidity can now be monitored continuously and contaminants such as silt, sand and protozoa can be monitored and removed.