District-wide fire hydrant flushing programme 2025

Whakatāne District Council, in partnership with local fire brigade volunteers, will carry out routine fire hydrant flushing and testing across the Whakatāne District from August to December 2025, between 5pm and 10pm daily as per the zoned areas in the map below.

This essential mahi is part of a five-year maintenance cycle to ensure the district’s water reticulation system, especially the fire hydrants, remains in good working order. Flushing near affected properties will take between 10 minutes and half an hour. See below for the schedule of works in your area.

What to expect

• The flushing process removes sediment from water mains, which may cause temporary, minor discolouration of the water supply. During flushing in your area, if discoloured water is experienced, please:
• Run a cold tap for several minutes until the water clears
• Delay laundry washing until water runs clear
• Wash a load of dark clothes first, as discoloured water may remain in hot water cylinders
• After the programme has finished, flush your hot water cylinder by running the hot tap for a few minutes once the cold water runs clear.

Other possible effects

• Slight discolouration of the water may last for a few hours, the water remains safe to drink
• A milky appearance may occur in the water for a short time due to air bubbles, this is harmless and will clear once the water is left to settle
• You may notice a temporary drop in water pressure or a stronger chlorine taste
• If water pressure remains low, we recommend checking your tap and mixer screens for any trapped particles.

Need help?

If you continue to experience water quality issues after the maintenance work is completed, or have any questions, please contact our Customer Services Team on 07 306 0500.

We appreciate your patience while we complete this important mahi. 

Schedule of works

Zones: You can see the live GIS map here of where each zone is located.

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