Palmy's main water pipe to be cleaned overnight on Wednesday 17 June
Published on 15 June 2026
One of the two main pipes that transport water from the Turitea Dam to homes and businesses in Palmy is being cleaned this week to ensure our city’s water remains in good condition.
We’re planning for this to take place overnight on Wednesday 17 June.
No cleaning agent is used during the process – instead a giant sponge is inserted into the pipe at the treatment plant and water pressure pushes it through the pipe until it is recaptured at the river.
When we clean the pipes, we discharge the water into the Manawatū River. We have a resource consent to do this in specific river conditions, to ensure the effects on our awa are as minimal as possible.
Council’s Three Waters Manager Mike Monaghan says water supply will continue as normal for most of the city, but a few homes in Turitea will be without water as the work takes place. These homes will receive a letter.
One of the potential side effects of cleaning the pipes is water discolouration for a brief period, Monaghan says. This is caused by our dam having slightly higher levels of manganese. We remove almost all of it during the treatment process, but we can never get it all. Over time this can build up in the pipes.
“This is normal. If you find your water isn’t clear the morning after the pipes have been cleaned, run your outside tap for a few minutes. If your water still doesn’t run clear, please call us and we’ll get the pipes near your home flushed. Try not to do loads of washing overnight on the night we clean the pipes. If your water does become discoloured it might stain your clothes – and we don’t want that to happen.”
Longburn, Kelvin Grove, Bunnythorpe and Ashhurst have their own water supply, so are not affected by the pipe cleaning.
The pipes need to be cleaned regularly to flush out any build-up of manganese. The water is naturally rich in this mineral as it comes from a dam. Almost all the manganese is removed during the treatment process, but minimal amounts can remain and build up in the pipes over time. The mineral is safe to drink but can cause water to discolour. Cleaning the pipes ensures this isn’t a problem.