The Central Otago District Council yesterday approved business case recommendations for a $17.4million water upgrade for Alexandra and surrounding areas.
A report to council noted the dissatisfaction residents have had with the "taste, odour and hardness" of the town’s water.
The project involves a new water source of Alexandra’s water at the same location as Clyde’s and the building of a new treatment plant next to the Clyde lookout which would service both towns.
The plant was originally planned to be built in 2020, with treatment through chlorination. Then filtration and ultraviolet sterilisation systems, which treat for protozoa such as cryptosporidium and giardia, were to be added seven years later.
This would have meant Alexandra’s water would not have met national standards until 2027.
The treatment works will now be completed in one stage.
The report notes a campylobacter outbreak in Havelock North last year brought on by contaminated water might have resulted in "reduced public confidence in public water supply".
Mayor Tim Cadogan said the incident showed councils could "not muck around" with water quality.
Council infrastructure services manager Julie Muir said although the project’s price rose from $17.4million from the $15.7million set aside in the 2015 Long Term Plan, it could become cheaper if council had competitive offers when the project went out for tender.
The council will test the quality of the water, but it is assumed filtration, ultraviolet sterilisation and chlorination will be required.
If it is lower quality than assumed, a more costly solution could be required.
Clyde and Alexandra both have chlorinated water, however a business case commissioned by the council said due to the lack of time Alexandra’s water spent in contact with the chlorine, it carried the risk of being less effective. This would be corrected with the new plant.
It is planned the project will give supply to households between Alexandra and Clyde which now get water privately drawing from bores or races.
The business case considered these to be "unreliable and potentially unsafe".
The scheme is expected service about 9000 people on an average day in 2018, and 12,000 on peak days.
