Watercare issues precautionary boil water notice for Herald Island

Watercare has issued a boil water notice this evening for residents of Herald Island in west Auckland, following a positive E. coli result from a routine water sample collected yesterday. There are 271 properties on the island.

Chief Operations Officer Mark Bourne says the notice is being put in place out of an abundance of caution to protect public health.

“While the other results from this routine sample were completely normal, we are taking a careful and precautionary approach,” he says. “We’re asking Herald Island residents to boil their tap water before use while we complete further testing.”

Residents should use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking, cleaning teeth, making ice, washing dishes and preparing food until further notice. Boiling water once in an electric kettle is sufficient to kill bacteria.

Bourne says additional testing carried out this afternoon showed normal chlorine levels at several points across the local supply zone.

“That result is reassuring, but public health is our priority,” he says. “Issuing a boil water notice is the right step while we wait for further E. coli test results, which will be available tomorrow.”

The boil water notice applies only to Herald Island. A valve at the entrance to the island ensures water flows in a single direction, meaning there is no risk to the wider Auckland water supply.

A water station has been established at the Herald Island Community Hall at 57 Ferry Parade, where residents can collect free bottled water.

A further update will be provided tomorrow afternoon.