And CHB springs a big one!
HDC has conducted a trial using 2,000 Council-installed water meters to measure the extent of water leakage in the district’s water supply system.
The meters were paid for out of HDC’s capital budget on about 10% of residential connections in the main urban water supply area (Havelock North, Hastings, Flaxmere, Bridge Pā and Pakipaki), in 2023.
What was discovered?
“So far, hundreds of thousands of litres a day from hidden leaks that could not previously be detected, have been saved due to repairs,” says a HDC media release.
The data being collected, while specific to the metered properties, is being used to help model trends and provide average use and potential leak levels across the network.
Says Council three waters manager Steve Cave: “The meters have enabled us to pinpoint issues that have not been visible – leaks under houses, or under streets, or leaks that go undetected because they go down the drains in our kitchens, bathrooms and laundries, barely noticed.
“It has long been known that with aging pipes across New Zealand, leaks that are obvious at road level or within houses are only a small part of the water-loss problem. This data gives us an idea of just how big the issue might be.”
In about 20 cases, the losses discovered were between 10,000 and 30,000 litres a day!
Installing water meters seems like the most elementary of no-brainers for a region that is fixated on ‘water security’. BayBuzz has been advocating this for some time.
Cave commented to BayBuzz: “Expanding the number of water meters would require a decision of Council, substantial funding and a community conversation.”
No better time than an election year to get that “conversation” started!
Speaking of leaks, down in CHB the entire drinking water supply to Waipukurau township was turned off to make an emergency repair on the water main that runs from the Pukeora Reservoir, and supplies water to Waipukurau township last Wednesday.
“With 100-hundred-year-old reservoirs and pipes, it’s clear that upgrades are required and there is an ongoing risk until the critical renewal and resilience upgrade work is completed,” said CHBDC Chief Executive Doug Tate.
How about if we fix leaks before building dams!
That last sentence is particularly apt! Fix the leaks and then talk about dams – if the possible volume of leaks is anywhere near correct fixing them would almost be the equivalent of a dam – it’s a no-brainer! And a dam will only just replace the water already being lost – seems like trying to bail out the Titanic with a bucket chain!
Rimu Street Mahora has a leak in the road that has been running for months. I have advised the council and also the truck that came to fix a major leak at a neighbours house across the road but nothing has been done. The sparrows love to bath in this clean running water.
I fully support installing water meters. They tend to make us very conscious of our usage and wastage. The trick may be calculating a fair household allowance when there are differing populations in each home.
Unfortunately the cost of installation is probably prohibitive right now as well because of the increasing debt HDC will incur over the next few years repairing roads and bridges following Gabriel
Bring back Lawrence!!!!!!!