The fast hydroslide at Alpine Aqualand remains closed, caught up in a dispute over a safety issue between the Queenstown Lakes District Council and Naylor Love.
It has been more than a year since the popular waterslide was ordered closed and almost a month since an independent report commissioned by the council found the activity should not be operated without being altered.
Aqualand's slower slide has stayed open.
Queenstown Aquatic Centre project manager Ken Gousmett said yesterday there had been discussions between the centre's main contractor, Naylor Love, and subcontractor Aeromarine Industries Ltd, which designed and built the slide.
However, he could not say there had been any conclusions and there was "no position of certainty" when the slide would operate again.
"It's a contractual dispute, not something that can be resolved speedily.
"Contractually it's complex and physically fixing it is complex."
Naylor Love regional manager Justin Calder said yesterday the slide was provided under the umbrella of the head contract and the company was "caught in the middle".
"Naylor Love is reliant on Aeromarine confirming their ability to render the slide safe, but we must allow the dispute procedure of the contract to run its course.
"Aeromarine has a different view on the safety performance and we have to allow time for them to respond - and the dispute procedure of the contract allows that."
Mr Calder said if the arbitration process did not proceed, then Naylor Love would be required to fix the slide.
"Naylor Love is not an expert in that specialised [hydroslide] field, so we have to wait for Aeromarine.
"But we're also very aware the council needs its slide back."
Aeromarine declined to comment yesterday.
