For emergencies concerning your water or wastewater supply, please contact us on (09) 442 2222.
In the event of a widespread service fault or emergency, information will be posted on the Updates page.
During major incidents, our customer services centre may be inundated with calls; therefore a recorded message may be played giving updated information and advice on the appropriate action to take. We will also post information on the Updates page and work with the media to broadcast bulletins on the radio.
Water supply problems
If there is little or no water running from your taps, it is possible that there may have been a fault in your area. We recommend you turn off all taps and contact Watercare on (09) 442 2222 to speak with a customer services advisor who will give you further information and advice.
Taste and smell of water
There are a number of reasons why your water supply might have a noticeable smell or taste. There are simple explanations and no cause for alarm, more information can be found on our FAQ page. If you think your water supply is making you ill, we will arrange for the water to be tested and return the results as soon as they are available.
For more information on water quality, contact our call customer services centre on (09) 442 2222.
Water leaks
Water leaks can be gradual and slow, or they may erupt very quickly with clearly visible water flooding. If the water leak is inside your house or within your grounds, then it is probably a fault within your own supply pipe for which you are responsible. You can determine whether you have a leak within your water pipes by carrying out a leak test.
If you have a leak within your supply pipe you’ll need to contact a licensed plumber to find and repair the leak for you. We recommend you do this as soon as possible to save money and water wastage. Once the leak has been fixed, you can forward us the plumbing receipt and we may be able to make some adjustment to your volume charges. See more about leak remissions.
If there is a leak outside the boundary of your property, for example on the road or footpath, we will repair it as quickly as possible and restore water supplies. Please contact us on (09) 442 2222 to report leaks on public property.
Blocked drains and wastewater flooding
If you have a blocked drain and/or wastewater flooding, the action we are able to take will depend on whether it is caused by a problem with the public wastewater network or a problem on your private system.
If you suspect you have a blocked drain, contact us (09) 442 2222 before you call a plumber. Our customer services staff will be able to assess, at no cost to you, whether the problem is with the public wastewater network or within your private system.
In all cases:
Wash and treat footwear with a mild disinfectant
Keep children and pets out of the contaminated area
Wear rubber gloves when clearing up, look out for sharp objects
Always wash your hands
In the unlikely event of feeling unwell, contact your GP
Call an electrician to check flooded circuits or equipment
If the flooding is caused by a problem on Watercare’s wastewater network, the company will:
Carry out an initial external clean-up where possible within 12 hours for internal flooding and 24 hours for external flooding
This includes removing excess liquid, cleaning debris, applying household disinfectant - this will remove all traces of bacteria within 24 to 48 hours
Clear gardens of water and debris. (Bacteria are best killed by natural exposure to the sunlight’s ultra violet radiation.)
Clean and disinfect hard surfaces such as paths and drives
Most wastewater pipes are only 100mm (four inches) in diameter and are not designed to carry anything other than wastewater and bio-degradable products like toilet paper. You can help avoid wastewater flooding by not disposing of rubbish or cooking fats in toilets and drains.
Insurance claims
Watercare will help with clean-up operations in flooding caused by its operations, unless insurance companies have agreed to make arrangements.