The Do Not Drink notice on the Waikouaiti, Karitane and Hawksbury Village water supply has been lifted. The water is safe to drink as long as people flush their taps as advised.
However, it is recommended that people at the Waikouaiti Golf Course and Karitane School still do not drink the water.
Please see below advice for avoiding drinking water containing lead and how to protect your family from lead poisoning if your house is being repainted.
Advice for avoiding drinking-water containing lead*
- Taps are the main sources of lead that are found in drinking-water in most houses. Flush a small volume of water – about 500ml – from the cold tap before water is drawn for drinking, cooking, or brushing your teeth. You should also run a cold tap for about 30 seconds each morning, to flush out the water sitting in your pipes overnight.
- If your house has a rainwater supply, check your roof and guttering for materials that may contain metals that could contaminate the water: lead flashing, lead-headed nails, and lead paint, for example. These should be replaced if you find them.
If your house is being repainted*
- For advice about how to protect yourself and your family from lead poisoning if your house is being repainted, go to Removing lead-based paint or talk to a health protection officer at your local public health unit.
*Source: Ministry of Health
The DHB will continue to work with the Dunedin City Council, Ministry of Health and other agencies to raise awareness of these risks, and support public health measures to reduce exposure to lead in our environment.
Further information
Further information can be found on the Ministry of Health website and on the Dunedin City Council website.