Tasman District Council is pleased to report that test results of the water in an area of concern in Tākaka has indicated no contamination.
However, residents are being asked to refrain from drinking the water until follow-up test results are confirmed in the coming days.
We identified a number of houses and workplaces in Motupipi Street that use bore water that could have been potentially contaminated by run-off from firefighting at the ITM building site on Thursday 11 January. These occupiers have been contacted by Council staff.
Bore water testing was also undertaken at a number of sites around the Motupipi Street area.
We have now received all the results of the testing that was taken the day after the fire, which included BTEX, heavy metals, volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, total petroleum hydrocarbons, Arsenic (As), Boron (B), Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), Manganese (Mn) and Mercury (Hg).
The results indicate that there is no contamination of the water samples. All drinking water (bore water) samples show that the levels are either undetectable or well below the drinking water standard limits.
The timeframe for potential contamination began 13 days ago. This is a significant period of time in respect to ground water flow.
The amount of paint - and other products - that could have got into the ground was less than originally thought.
No red/pink dye was noticed by anyone following the extensive dye testing undertaken on the day of the fire.
Based on the information provided and the test results received so far, we believe the risk of the bore being contaminated to be very low.
We are removing our recommendation to not to use the water for showering, brushing teeth, and food preparation. However, we are continuing with a precautionary measure of recommending that people in the affected area do not drink the water until we have the results of the second round of samples. We will update the community as soon as these are available.
If you are concerned about your health or are feeling unwell please contact Healthline for advice 0800 611 116, or seek medical attention immediately.
If you need urgent attention, call 111 and ask for Ambulance.
We would like to thank all residents and businesses in the affected area for their patience and understanding during this time.
These measures have taken place with the community’s well-being in mind and we hope to have the situation resolved as soon as possible.