Horowhenua District Council has lifted the Boil Water Notice for the Mangaore water supply following the completion of flushing the network and water quality testing.
The Boil Water Notice for the Mangaore water supply was lifted at 4pm on Thursday 24 September 2026.
Test results from samples collected on Wednesday 23 September 2026 were received this afternoon and confirm the water meets all drinking water requirements. As a result, the precautionary boil water notice has been lifted and residents no longer need to boil their water before use.
The notice was issued as a precaution after two dead rats were discovered in one of the reservoirs during a routine inspection. The affected reservoir was immediately taken offline, and Council worked closely with Taumata Arowai, the water regulator while remedial work and testing were carried out.
Chief Executive Monique Davidson said the incident highlights the importance of regular inspections and robust monitoring systems.
“We know a boil water notice can be disruptive, and we’d like to thank the Mangaore community for their patience and cooperation while this work was completed.”
“We’re pleased to confirm that the water is safe to drink and the boil water notice has now been lifted.”
“While this type of situation was concerning, this is exactly why we have regular inspections, monitoring programmes and response procedures in place. These systems enabled us to quickly identify the issue and take immediate action.”
“Providing safe, reliable drinking water is one of our most important responsibilities, and we will continue to monitor the supply, and we’ll always err on the side of caution for this reason.”
Council will continue working with Taumata Arowai and review the incident to understand how the rodents entered the reservoir and identify any further improvements that can be made to the water supply system.
Residents can now return to using tap water as normal.