[ad_1]
The Waikouaiti River, a major source of drinking water for Otago municipalities caught in a lead scare, has tested negative for the metal.
It was revealed last week that tests showed lead in the water supplies of Waikouaiti, Karitane and Hawksbury, and the estimated 1,500 residents were urged not to drink the water.
That left Dunedin City Council (DCC) scrambling to identify the source of the contamination, leading to increased testing and the Southern District Board of Health offered free blood tests to those affected.
The Otago Regional Council (ORC) last week tested water from the Waikouaiti River, from which Waikouaiti draws its supply, and released the results Thursday afternoon.
READ MORE:
* Otago residents scared by lead were allowed to eat locally grown produce
* ‘This is why I’m getting tested’: Concerned residents screened after water contamination
* Anxious mom says free veggies offer ‘the least they can do’ after the water scare
River water samples were taken upstream and downstream from the Waikouaiti raw water reservoir intake, with lead below detectable levels in both samples.
ORC Executive Director Sarah Gardner said: “These two samples are helpful and inform us about the Waikouaiti River at a certain time, which will help guide our research.
Hamish McNeilly / Stuff
A sign at the southern entrance to Waikouaiti’s Otago Township warns people not to drink tap water.
“We will continue to investigate because it is absolutely imperative that we deliver an answer on river water that affected communities can trust.”
The results of this week’s sediment sampling should be known next week, he said.
The result will mean increased scrutiny of the source of the contamination, with DCC investigating whether it is lead seals in old pipes, environmental contamination or sampling errors.
Hamish McNeilly / Stuff
A Waikouaiti public gathering on Friday drew 500 people.
An investigation has confirmed the presence of lead joints in very old cast iron pipes in the Waikouaiti network.
And while that was not identified as the source of the positive test results, work began to replace nearly 4 kilometers of pipes.
On Wednesday, health officials gave permission for residents to eat their homegrown produce.
