Properties to join water scheme

Five properties will be added to the Lake Hayes water scheme, after the Queenstown Lakes District Council's utilities committee approved an extension to the scheme.

Roy Thompson had applied to get his property, along with four others, at Alec Robins Rd connected to the scheme that services the settlements along the lakefront and the Lake Hayes Estate area.

In November, Mr Thompson told the committee the existing water supply to the five properties, drawn from Hayes Creek, often became green and smelly during the summer months because of an algal bloom in Lake Hayes.

"It had become quite a desperate situation, as our water is often unsafe to drink in summer, and we had no alternative as we cannot bore for water at this location," Mr Thompson told the Queenstown Times.

"I am very relieved the committee has listened to our request," he said.

Council three waters manager Gerry Essenberg told the committee the water scheme had a capacity of about 940 connections, and about 600 properties were connected.

He said the scheme had recently been upgraded and could now supply more water than in previous years.

"The pipes put in for these properties will also be able to accommodate further future users, if necessary," he said.

The applicant will have to cover the cost of the extension of the system.

The five new connections will have a restriction of a maximum of 2.1cu m of water per property per day, which Mr Thompson said was adequate.

While Mr Essenberg said any new connections would not put undue strain on the water supply, council engineers were monitoring water use at Lake Hayes and had noticed a sudden increase in the past week.

The council had contacted Lake Hayes residents asking them to conserve water.