Everyone using the Greater Greymouth water supply should boil their water before using it for drinking, cooking, preparing food or mixing baby formula, or brushing their teeth, until the notice is updated - Grey District Council says. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
- The West Coast town of Greymouth and surrounding areas remain under a boil water notice due to contamination
- Grey District Council is investigating how the Greater Greymouth water network was left vulnerable to bacteria
- The boil water notice is unable to be lifted until three consecutive days of clear testing is completed
Local authorities have pinpointed an area of Greymouth's water network that could have been contaminated, with the town and wider district to remain under a boil water notice.
Some schools and businesses in the West Coast town have been forced to shut due to the notice, although others are making it work, as the community awaits a reprieve to the alert by next week.
The Grey District Council issued the boil notice for customers connected to the greater Greymouth water supply on Wednesday morning.
It came after water samples found coliform - types of bacteria linked to human and animal waste - in the network, including E. coli.
On Thursday, the council said latest testing showed total coliform levels were solely showing in the Kaiata water supply zone and had reduced significantly.
No E.coli was evident in Thursday's testing, a spokesperson said.
"We are confident that the actions we are taking are assisting to bring these levels down."
A low-temperature electron micrograph showing a cluster of E. coli bacteria, magnified 10,000 times. Photo: Supplied/ USDA, ARS, EMU - Eric Erbe and Christopher Pooley
Bottled water has become a valuable commodity in the town, with schools and businesses persevering through the disruption.
Cobden School moved fast to provide bottled water on Wednesday for its pupils.
But principal Noula Markham explained doing this for the rest of the week was logistically too difficult, with the school closing on Thursday and Friday.
"It wasn't a decision that was made off the cuff," Markham said.
"[On Wednesday] we got water in from the supermarket, but when water stocks depleted through the day ... we couldn't confidently say we were able to give drinkable water to all our students without getting bottled water."
"The logistics around boiling water and cooling it .... our school has 107 children. Other areas of the country may call that [small], but it's still a lot of children to give water to."
Hundreds of students at Greymouth High School were also asked to stay home, with online learning arranged.
Other schools pressed on, including Grey Main School which has a roll of about 200.
Associate Principal Rochelle Clark said students were asked to bring their own bottles of water.
"We've got a supply here for students who are unable to bring in their own, or forgotten their own drink bottle," Clark said.
"The majority of students (on Thursday) have brought their own water from home, either boiled water or purchased water."
The school caretaker had supplied a tank of treated water that was being regularly tested, as a backup, Clark said.
"If the worst comes to worst we've got that if we need it, but we've only got [a day] left of term."
Cafe and restaurant Sevenpenny was also using filtered rainwater which had come straight off the property of one the owners.
Other coffee and food vendors like The Patio said, in a social media post, it would not be trading until authorities give the all clear.
"After reviewing the extra requirements for our operation that sit outside our current risk management plan, and given this is anticipated to be for a brief period, we will not be trading until this issue is resolved," they said.
Workarounds had also been needed at Greymouth's Te Nīkau Grey Hospital.
Te Whatu Ora chief nursing officer for Canterbury and West Coast, Becky Hickmott, said an incident management team had been set up at the hospital.
"We're doing our best to keep up with supplies in ensuring everything is running smoothly.
"The zip water boiler can't be used because they don't boil to the high enough level required for safety.
"We do have bottled water being delivered into all the clinical areas for patients and staff."
Contingencies for the hospital were being developed, including having a larger supply of water available on site, Hickmott said.
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