Boil-water notice issued for Bell Block and Links areas of New Plymouth

A boil-water notice has been issued for the Bell Block and The Links areas of New Plymouth. The advisory follows a water sample near New Plymouth Airport testing positive for E. coli. District Council manager three waters Amy Quattlebaum said it was taking a precautionary approaching until further testing confirmed whether there was contamination This was a standard public health measure taken in consultation with water regulator Taumata Arowai, she said. “In the meantime, it’s important that people in the area of Bell Block and The Links boil the water they intend to use for drinking, brushing their teeth, washing dishes and preparing food. It’s okay to boil up a batch of water and store it until it’s needed.” Quattlebaum warned that coffee machines did not heat water to a high enough temperature to kill E. coli, so it was recommended they were not used until the boil water notice is lifted. E. coli can cause stomach cramps, diarrhoea and vomiting, and can be especially bad for the young, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. A water tanker would be available around the clock at Hickford Park car park in Bell Block from this afternoon. Residents and businesses were asked to bring their own clean containers. The boil-water notice would remain in place until further notice. Updates would be available on npdc.govt.nz and via the Antenno app. The water supply in other areas of the New Plymouth District was not affected. – RNZ

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