Water quality issues topped the list of residents' concerns listed in the annual resident opinion survey.
Most said there was too much lime in the water.
Council managers and Vincent Community Board chairwoman Clair Higginson recently outlined progress.
"It may look like we've done no work on resolving the problems, whereas the contrary is true.
"It's a big and very complex issue," Ms Higginson said.
Council's assets manager Murray Washington said Alexandra residents' concerns seemed to revolve around the amount of lime in the water.
It was not really a health issue, but users were clearly unhappy with the hardness of the water.
"Our two focuses are to improve the lime issue and to look ahead to improve the water supply, getting the best deal for ratepayers," he said.
It was a complicated issue and some of the options included sourcing a water supply which would service a wider area than just Alexandra.
Ms Higginson said the board and its water working party had initiated a range of studies to understand the problems and investigate alternative sources.
There was no "cheap, simple source" available to provide an adequate supply of clean, softer water for the town.
The options to address the water problems ranged in cost from $1.5 million to $13.6 million.
Those options included water sources close to the Alexandra bridge, others upstream of the current supply and further investigation of the current borefield.
Another option was to take soft water directly from the Clutha River, filtering it to remove sediment, or possibly a joint supply with the proposed Manuherikia Irrigation co-operative, sourcing water from Lake Dunstan.
The public would be consulted on the various options once details were finalised, but there was "a fair bit of work to be done before we get to that point," Ms Higginson said.
"We can assure residents the investigation is going well and we are making real progress towards a practical solution," Mr Washington said.
Alexandra Water
About the supply
- Sourced from six shallow bores on banks of Clutha River, near Eclipse St.
- Provides water for 5000 permanent residents, 8500 during peak holidays.
- Average daily water use 5.5 million litres.
- Only treatment of water is chlorination.
What are the problems?
- Water hardness - lime.
- Taste and odour of water.
- Perceived risk from closed landfill next to borefield.
Options
- Do nothing.
- Add UV and cartridge filtration to borefield ($1.5 million-$1.8 million).
- Develop new borefield site ($3.3 million-$4 million).
Softening plant at existing borefield ($4 million-$5 million).
Other options: new intake from Clutha River ($7.6 million-$9.3 million) or Lake Dunstan ($12.2 million-$13.6 million).
