Water tanker sent to Aucklanders after three pipes break

5:16 pm on 13 February 2024
Watercare crew work to repair pipeline on Remuera Road on 13 February, 2024.

Watercare crew work to repair pipeline on Remuera Road on 13 February, 2024. Photo: Supplied / Watercare

Watercare had to send a water tanker to Auckland residents and a retirement village whose taps turned off last night after three pipes broke.

In an udpate just after 3.30pm, Watercare said the pipe breaks in Remuera and Meadowbank suburbs had been fixed and water restored to a retirement village and 200 homes.

Head of service delivery Sharon Danks has apologised to those affected in several streets.

Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, Danks said crews were working to restore the water and two of the three pipe breaks were fixed, with repairs ongoing for the third.

"Our crew is replacing a six-metre section of pipe to minimise the risk of further breakages at the site."

The pipe was expected to be repaired by 1.30pm, but it would take several hours to restore water, with taps going again by 4pm, Danks said.

"We'd like to thank our customers for their patience while we work to repair the break and apologise for the inconvenience it has caused."

The initial break at Koraha Street was reported on Monday morning and repaired that evening, Danks said.

Watercare was also alerted to another broken pipe on Remuera Road on Monday afternoon, which broke again early this morning.

"It was repaired late last night, however a subsequent break was discovered at the same place about 2am and repairs are ongoing," Danks said.

It has water tankers providing emergency water in two locations, at the Stoneyroyd Gardens and Countdown Meadowbank.

Another tanker is on route to a residential care facility on Meadowbank Road.

The two broken mains pipes were aged between 60 and 90 years old.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs