Discoloured water

What we're doing to minimise discoloured water in the city, and what to do if your water is discoloured.

Palmerston North residents sometimes experience discoloured water coming out of taps. This is for two reasons: the slightly high iron and manganese content in our water, and the city's aging water main infrastructure, which retains the built-up sediment in the pipes. 

We're fighting the problem on a number of fronts.

Every year we run a big sponge through the main water supply pipes to clean them out. This process is called swabbing and usually happens in winter because we need to do it when the Manawatū River is in high flow. 

We're also replacing the old cast iron pipes in the water main network with plastic ones. 

My water is dirty, what do I do?

Leave the cold tap running for 20 minutes to see if the water runs clear. If not then call us on 06 356 8199 and we will flush the pipes around your property. The discoloured water is safe but may stain clothes, so we advise postponing doing the laundry until the water is clear again.