Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher opened the Oamaru Water Treatment Plant this week, following the installation of two new membranes to filter the water supply.
Waitaki District Council contracts engineer Michael Goldingham said the filtration technology would increase the capacity of the plant, which supplied water to 14,400 residents in Oamaru, Weston, Enfield and Kakanui, by 25%.
With the increased capacity the plant could, in the future, service Herbert, Waianakarua, Hampden and Moeraki.
Mr Goldingham said the original membranes were designed for a seven-year life span, but had lasted eight and a-half years.
The new membranes, which took about 10 days each to install, were designed to function for 10 years.
There would be no change to the water quality residents enjoyed at present, he said.
