ALEXANDRA, Nov 7, 2000 (The Southland Times)— A public workshop will be held for Clyde residents to consider solutions to the town's water supply problem.
Residents have been on a boil water notice for most of the past four months because of turbidity levels in the town's supply drawn from Lake Dunstan.
A report on a water treatment upgrade was tabled at the Earnscleugh-Manuherikia Community Board meeting yesterday.
Engineers Montgomery Watson's Iain Rabbits said an upgrade was needed to meet new national drinking water standards as well as treat the turbidity problem.
He recommended a pilot plant of an estimated $2.5 million membrane filtration system be trialled as a long-term solution.
Costs could be significantly reduced by water demand management such as the installation of water meters or hosing restrictions, Rabbits said.
Board chairman Tony Lepper said the community would drive a solution based on affordability and whether there was room to drive water usage down.
Member Murray Heckler agreed, saying options from the cost of short-term solutions to the "Rolls Royce-type" proposals needed to be outlined to the community to decide.
The board agreed council staff would organise an open day to present the options to the community before Christmas.
Meanwhile, staff at Dunstan Hospital were concerned about the water quality at the hospital, the board was told.
The board agreed to supply a water tanker to the hospital as an alternative supply.
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