Kavinda Herath/Stuff

Southland District Councillor Karyn Owen says there have been complaints about the taste of the town’s drinking water.

Complaints have trickled into the Southland District Council about the taste of Riverton’s drinking water, but residents say it’s nothing new.

Councillor Karyn Owen raised the issue at a council committee meeting this week, saying there had been “quite a few complaints” about the taste of the town’s water, which is sourced from the Aparima River and treated.

The council subsequently posted on its website that it had received reports of taste and odour issues in the Riverton drinking water.

The council’s water asset manager Bill Witham said an “intermittent earthy taste” in the water was caused by very low river levels and warm temperatures.

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When asked how many complaints had been made, he said “three service requests” from the public had been received regarding the issue in February and March, and another two service requests this year turned out to be minor private issues.

The water was still safe to drink, Witham said.

“The issue has been caused by a period of very low rainfall which is forecast to return to normal next month.”

Council staff were investigating options should the dry conditions continue now and in future years.

Mayor Gary Tong poured himself a glass of water from the tap and said he didn’t find anything wrong with it.

However, Aparima Restaurant and Bar owner Hannah Bickley said she recently spent $400 on a new water filter because the taste was “earthy” and “metallicy”.

“You can’t let your customers have crap water.”

The Riverton water had “always been horrible”, she said.

“What can you do about it … maybe the council can subsidise some water for us.”

Riverton’s Crib Cafe owner Cazna Gilder said its water was not affected by the current situation because “years ago” they installed an expensive high grade water filtration system.

The latest issue with the taste of the Riverton water was not new, she said.

“And it’s worse now because we have a drought.”

She paid “expensive water rates” as well as spending money on filters.

The town’s drinking water came from the Aparima River prior to 2013, but when complaints were made about its taste at that time, the town changed to bore water.

In 2019 complaints were made about the bore water, with reports of discolouration and lime scale in it, while some residents believed the calcium in the water was adversely affecting their hot water jugs and cylinders. The council assured them there were no health issues.

Soon after, the town’s drinking water was again sourced from the Aparima River.

Both Tong and Owen encouraged the public to inform the council if they had concerns with the water, so the council could address it.

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Originally Appeared Here