Boil Water Notice Lifted - Te Kaha Water Supply

UPDATE Monday 8 June

Te Kaha - Boil Water Notice - Lifted!

After consecutive days of water testing with a ‘pass’ result, Council can now confirm the water supply in Te Kaha is safe to drink without boiling – and the boil water notice for Te Kaha has been lifted.

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A BOIL WATER NOTICE HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE TE KAHA WATER SUPPLY (3 JUNE 2026 at 12pm)

A boil water notice can be issued when bacteria is found in drinking water, or there is the potential for bacteria to be present in drinking water.

During this time, you should boil all tap water that can be swallowed. That means boil water before things like drinking it, using it for food preparation, brushing teeth, making ice, watering down juice, or making baby formula.

Reasons for a boil water notice

The most common reason for a boil water notice is that a recent test of the drinking water supply has shown that the water may not be safe to drink, for example showing a positive result for E.coli (a germ that can cause illness). If we get one of these results, we will issue a boil water notice straight away and we will keep it in place until we have three ‘clear’ days of testing in a row.

Council will let the community know when water quality returns to a safe level.

It is important to keep boiling your tap water until you are given the all-clear from Council.

Actions to take during a boil water notice

To make the tap water safe to drink, boil all tap water at a rolling boil for at least THREE MINUTES and let it cool before use. This includes all tap water that can be swallowed eg: for brushing teeth, making ice, dilution of juice, infant formula and tap water for food preparation (washing salads or fruits that won’t be cooked).

Be especially careful with infants, the elderly and people with immuno-compromised conditions.

For eating and drinking

Boiling water will kill disease-causing organisms. Place the water in a clean metal pot and bring to a rolling boil for at least 3 minutes. Electric jugs with a cut-off switch can be used but you may need to boil it twice to hit the three-minute mark (a full kettle is best). Boiled water should be covered and allowed to cool before use.

Baths and showers

Adults and older children are able to shower or use the bath with water directly from the tap as long as no water is swallowed. If you have recent surgical wounds or a chronic illness, you may want to use bottled or boiled water for bathing until the notice is lifted.

Handwashing

If the boil water notice has been issued as a precaution and there is no outbreak of any illness, vigorous handwashing using tap water and soap is sufficient.

Babies and infants

If breastfeeding, continue as usual. If you are using baby formula, prepare using bottled or cooled previously boiled water. Wash and sterilise bottles and teats by boiling or microwaving.

Stay informed

Share this information with neighbours, friends and whānau who live or work in the affected area to make sure they get the message as well.

A boil water notice will apply to everyone who gets their water from the Te Kaha water treatment plant. Not those on personal tank water or smaller (unconnected) community supplies.

Will I get sick from using un-boiled water?

The majority of people who unintentionally drink the water will not get sick. At risk groups are babies, young children, the elderly and people who have compromised immune systems. Please contact Healthline 0800 611 116 if you are concerned or contact your own doctor if you start to feel unwell.