An update on the status of Christchurch's wells.

To ensure the safety of the water supply and its compliance with Drinking Water Standards, Christchurch’s 156 wells (also referred to as bores) are inspected on a rolling basis by appropriately qualified engineering consultants so that each is reviewed at least once every five years.

The decision to temporarily chlorinate comes after latest assessments by engineers raised concerns that some of the below ground wellheads may not be sufficiently sealed to prevent surface groundwater contamination, particularly in heavy rainfall evens.

On the basis of those assessments the Canterbury Drinking Water Assessor has removed the city’s secure bore status.

There is no current issue with the quality of our ground water – it is safe to drink. The issue we face is how can we eliminate the slight risk of contamination occurring through our infrastructure. The risk of contamination is slight.

We do not need a boil water notice because the quality of the water remains good. 

Read the full story on Newsline.

 Accompanying documents

Below ground wellhead inspections [PDF, 877 KB]

Below ground wellheads benchmark [PDF, 1.2 MB]