Pressure testing set to start on new Reefton waterline

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From local democracy reporter Lois Williams:

Pressure testing is set to start this week in Reefton on the new water pipeline on Buller Rd.

Contractors Tru-Line Civil have been replacing the old asbestos cement pipe between Potter St and Elizabeth St over summer, as part of a $1.2 million upgrade of the town's water supply.

Buller District Council infrastructure manager Eric de Boer says the old pipe was removed in sections as the new pipe segments were laid and connected, to avoid major disruptions to household water supplies.

"So far there's only been one shutdown a few weeks ago, and the pressure testing should not affect residents."

The new line could cope with the high pressures within the network, and would mean less maintenance and reduced water loss down Buller Road, De Boer said.

Once the testing was completed the rest of the pipeline trench would be backfilled and sealed.

"We will need to check for leaks and disinfect the new pipeline before it's fully switched over and connected back into the existing network "

The Buller Road pipe replacement is just one part of the project to improve the safety and resilience of Reefton's ageing water infrastructure.

The town of 900 has been on a precautionary 'boil water' notice since last summer when testing showed high coliform counts in the water supply.

The century-old cast iron pipe that delivered water to and from the town reservoir is being replaced with two new pipes, a rising main and a falling main. And the reservoir itself is being assessed, with the aim of eliminating the risk of contamination from insects, rats and mice.

Reefton residents, through the Inangahua Community Board, strongly opposed one feature of the project - a chlorination plant - to be turned on once the pipework is complete.

The town's water comes from a bore under the Inangahua River bed, and locals argued chlorination should be postponed until it was known if the new pipework solved the problem of intermittent contamination.

The council agreed to chlorinate only after it came under heavy pressure from the water regulator, Canterbury District Health Board.