Supplying Raglan residents with water after November’s 7.5 magnitude earthquake affected the town’s supply has cost Waikato District Council about $140,000.
WDC service delivery general manager Tim Harty said the total cost was difficult to estimate but was in the order of about $140,000, including about $120,000 spent trucking in drinking water for residents, night and day, over the four-day operation.
Staff estimated that more than 200 tanker trips were made, delivering more than 3 million litres of water to the community.
The earthquake, which struck near Hanmer Springs, had shook up the mountain spring that supplies the town water, making it murky and causing the pump to turn off.
The council had to top up the reservoir until the water treatment plant could be turned back on again, once tests came back clear.
Residents were told to limit their water use to only necessary drinking, which meant forgoing washing, showering and flushing the toilet.
“Ensuring Raglan had enough drinking water after the incident was a big job, but council appreciated everything locals did to conserve water during this time. From the event, we learnt that we all need to be prepared for an emergency, no matter where we live in the country,” said Mr Harty.
Staff is investigating whether council’s insurance will cover the cost of the operation. If not, it will seek approval to cover the cost with disaster recovery funds held by council.
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