Latest update as of 11am Tuesday 21 October, 2025:
Boil water notice is no longer in place for Rūātoki.
Whakatāne District Council has lifted the boil water notice for Rūātoki.
The UV water treatment system is now operating effectively following the recent heavy rain, and the water supply is once again safe to drink without boiling.
We appreciate the patience and cooperation of Rūātoki residents during this time.
Please note: if further heavy rain occurs, the boil water notice may need to be reinstated. We encourage residents to check this website for the latest updates.
For more information, please contact Whakatāne District Council on 07 306 0500 or visit our Contact Us page.
- What to do if a boil water notice is in place
During heavy rainfall, the Rūātoki Water Treatment Plant’s ultraviolet (UV) treatment system is unable to operate effectively. The rainfall causes increased turbidity (cloudiness) in the water supply, which prevents the UV system from fully neutralising harmful bacteria and viruses.
As a result, a Boil Water Notice is put in effect for all residents of Rūātoki.
What you need to do during a boil water notice:
- Boil all water for at least 3 minutes before using it for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, or preparing food.
- If using an electric kettle or jug, you may need to boil the water twice to reach this duration.
During a boil water notice the Council regularly tests the water around the water pipe network. The water is safe to use as long as it is boiled first. The notice stays in place until the water is confirmed safe to drink without boiling.
For updates, please check this page (www.whakatane.govt.nz/boil-water-notice-ruatoki), or our Facebook page.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to keep our communities safe.
- What is the long-term solution?
We've been trialling a new membrane and micro filter in the Rūātoki water supply pump station to help reduce turbidity (cloudiness) of the water supply, especially during rain, and it’s been working well so far. This is part of our ongoing work to improve water quality in the area.
These filters work by physically removing fine particles and sediment from the water in order to increase the water quality. They can be cleaned and sterilised at the end of each cycle, which is a great cost-saving approach.
However, the boil water notice will likely still need to be turned on during heavy rain events when turbidity (water cloudiness) increases due to the increased water flow in the river.
Looking ahead, funding has been set aside in the Long Term Plan to build a new water treatment plant in Rūātoki to help with this. We’re currently working with stakeholders on this plan, and hope to begin looking into construction in late 2026.
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