Published 19/12/2018
Fire at pump station affects water supply to Brooklyn
UPDATE 3:30pm
Our crews have put a temporary fix in place that means we can restart supplying water to the reservoir. Please don't go nuts with your water use as we are still working on a permanent fix which will take a couple of days.
Residents shouldn't notice any interruptions to their water supply, however if you do experience any water pressure or quality issues please contact Wellington City Council on 04 499 4444.
UPDATE 12pm
An electrical fire at Aro Valley’s Epuni Street pump station has damaged important equipment used to control the supply of water to a major reservoir.
Group Manager, Network and Customer Operations, Jeremy McKibbin said that “the Brooklyn Reservoir holds 24 hours’ worth of drinking-water and supplies around 10,000 residents. Fortunately the tanks were full at the time, but right now we’re down to about 75% full”.
We’ve been on site since 3am and are working to get power restored and the pumps running again as quickly as possible. However, we’re asking residents to conserve water until we have a fix in place”.
“We hope to have supply restored by this afternoon, but it could take until tomorrow.” said Mr McKibbin. Updates will be available via the council and Wellington Water websites.
Things you can do to reduce your water use:
- Put off watering your garden.
- Hold off of washing your clothes or putting your dishwasher on.
- Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth and washing your hands.
- Reduce your shower time.
- Use the single flush button on your toilet (or apply the ‘if it’s yellow let it mellow’ rule).
Mr McKibbin said that thanks to the quick response of Fire and Emergency New Zealand the damage was localised, making the repair job easier than it could have been.
This is also a great reminder to make sure you have your home water storage sorted. In case of an emergency you will need to rely on the water you have stored at home. You can purchase 200 litre water tanks from your local council for $105, or simply fill plastic bottles of various sizes and store in a cool dry space.
Map shows area supplied by Brooklyn Reservoir. We're asking residents in the affected zone to conserve water where possible.
An electrical fire at Aro Valley’s Epuni Street pump station has damaged important equipment used to control the supply of water to a major reservoir.