Council considers quick-fix option for well heads
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A $2 million quick-fix option is being considered for dozens of Christchurch’s below ground well heads so that chlorine can be removed from the city’s water supply as soon as possible.
Contractors work on upgrading a well head.
At its meeting next week Christchurch City Council will consider a report which recommends they undertake interim upgrades on up to 42 below ground well heads that tap into flowing artesian aquifers where the risk of contamination is low.
Long-term the well heads will need to be either replaced or abandoned as part of the Council’s well head security improvement programme, but in the interim they could have minor work done on them to bring them up to the standard required in order to achieve secure status for a period of two years.
Doing the interim work will cost up to $2 million.
“We will still need to do the best practice remediation work but by doing the interim work we will have a better chance of meeting the 12 month target set by the Council for getting the chlorine out of our water supply,’’ says Council Water Supply Improvement Programme Manager Helen Beaumont.