Napier City Council Media advisory:
Cyclone Gabrielle Update
Monday 20 February – 4:30pm
Water update
As of today, Monday 20 February, Napier is moving from Level 5 to Level 4 Water Restrictions. This means that businesses, including restaurants and cafes, can open for trade. However, our wastewater network cannot handle wastewater from industrial business operations.
At Level 4, water conservation remains critical as our entire wastewater network is still running on generators, some pump stations not yet operational and our wastewater treatment plant is currently inoperable.
Our teams are continually monitoring the state of the wastewater treatment plant and will get teams in to assess the damage as soon as it is accessible.
The city’s drinking water is safe to drink.
People are urged to follow these simple guidelines:
· Don’t rush to flush: Keep toilet flushing to an absolute minimum
· 1-minute showers: If you have to shower keep it quick, even better take a sponge bath
· Wash dishes by hand
· Save laundry washing for a few days’ time, or wash items by hand
· Do not hose silt into driveways. This will clog the stormwater and cause flooding even in minor rain.
Support for Puketapu community
From today, Napier City Council will support Hastings District Council in their response by taking on the coordination of community welfare and operations for Puketapu, due to their proximity to Napier. Hawke’s Bay councils frequently collaborate for ‘business as usual’ activities, and working in partnership is no different during an emergency response.
Waste collection
· Normal rubbish collections resume today
· When your normal rubbish is collected, you will be given a food waste disposal bag. This is for any food waste you still need to dispose of.
· You can take the food waste bag to your collection point THE DAY AFTER your regular rubbish day. Your collection point information is listed on the flyer, which will be delivered with your food waste bag.
· If you have already put food waste in the wheelie bin, don’t worry. Don’t dig it out again. This just gives you an additional way to get rid of spoiled food.
· Do not put the food waste bag on the kerb as it may be tempting to pests!
· Oramanui landfill is not open for public use.
· There is no recycling collection at the moment. Pleas store all recycling at home until further notice.
· Please limit the number of people handling waste – nominate one family member to manage the collection and disposal of waste.
· Dispose of all food that has come into contact with flood waters. Store spoiled food in a way that stops animals from accessing it. Cover all containers and holes to reduce smells and flies.
· Please keep flood-damaged furniture and belongings on your property until a service can be set up to collect them.
Public spaces
Due to the danger of falling branches and trees in high winds, slippery paths and slips, it is essential people stay out of parks and cemeteries. Council contractors are working on making these areas safe as soon as possible. The following areas are closed to the public:
· Park Island and Cemeteries
· Sturms Gully
· Tiffen Park
· Plantation reserve
· Botanical Gardens/Napier Cemetery
· Eskdale Cemetery
· Wharerangi Cemetery
Public toilets are now open.
Council Facilities
All Council facilities will remain closed until further notice.
This includes:
· Napier Libraries
· Napier Aquatic Centre
· National Aquarium of New Zealand
· MTG
· Bay Skate
· Faraday Centre
· Municipal Theatre
· Napier Conference and Events Centre
· ISITE
· Kennedy Rd Holiday Park is not taking bookings.
Volunteering
For those willing to lend their assistance and skills, please register on the Volunteering Hawke’s Bay website via the link below:
This has replaced the email address provided previously. It does take a little while for them to work through offers so please be patient, they will get back to you soon.
Donations
· Monetary donations are the best way to make sure resources are accurately allocated to those in need.
· Refrain from dumping clothing and small food parcels outside our evacuation centre, we aren’t resourced to sort through and allocate these items.
· If you would like to donate, please transfer to Hawke’s Bay Disaster Relief Trust visit https://public-hbrc.datacomsphere.co.nz/online-services/new/flood-fund-relief/step/1
· The Trust is the easiest and most effective way for people to lend a hand. It means people can donate to one single, centralised fund and know their financial support will be spent on the most urgent needs and directed where it is needed most.
ENDS
Support for puketapu community? Is this happening??