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Water Supply

KHWS provides drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services across both the Kaikōura and Hurunui districts.

Hurunui

There are currently 12 schemes owned and managed by KHWS across the Hurunui district, and one additional scheme which is managed only. These schemes extract water from 24 different sources.

There are two types of water supply connections in the Hurunui district – on demand and restricted. On demand supplies have a water meter at the point of supply while restricted supplies have a restrictor at the point of supply.

Township Water Supply Pamphlets

Rural Water Supply Pamphlets

For rural water supplies, please also read the following information sheet on restricted water supplies and tank installation.

I’m on a restricted water scheme, what does this even mean for me?

For a thorough explanation of how drinking water is provided across the district; the nature of supply, evaluation of current and future quantity, adequacy and a summary of water quality information, plus identification of other public health risks, please read the following report, prepared under section 69 of the Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025. – Assessment of Communities’ Access to Drinking Water

This report relates to communities within the Hurunui district supplied by Kaikōura Hurunui Water Services Ltd (KHWS) and Non-Council/ Non-KHWS services providers.

For current Boil Water Notices, Outages & Water Restrictions visit the interactive map

Interactive Map

Water Testing Results

All water supplies in the Hurunui District are tested regularly for quality in accordance with the requirements of the Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules 2022.

Chemical Water Quality Results:

2025/26 Result

Stormwater

Stormwater runoff is rainwater that flows across the ground and does not get absorbed into the soil. It flows into stormwater pipes and streams, and from there into our estuaries and finally out to sea. Stormwater can cause flooding, and can be harmful to the natural environment by picking up pollutants and carrying them into waterways.

Throughout the Hurunui district there are certain stormwater and drainage systems being rated for. By looking after these specific drains and systems, KHWS aims to:

  • Protect the public’s health
  • Ensure the public’s safety
  • Improve the natural water quality

Wastewater

Reticulated Sewerage

Some urban areas around the District have reticulated sewerage. In total there are seven separate wastewater schemes consisting of 14 wastewater pump stations and 65 kilometres of pipe works:

Wastewater Scheme Township Serviced
Amberley Amberley

Amberley Beach

Leithfield

Leithfield Beach
Cheviot Cheviot
Greta Valley Greta Valley
Hanmer Springs Hanmer Springs
Hawarden Hawarden
Motunau Beach Motunau Beach
Waikari Waikari

If you are within the township boundary of any of these listed Townships and would like to connect to the relevant reticulated sewerage scheme, complete the wastewater connection form and return it to 3watersapplications@hurunui.govt.nz or drop it in the mail to your local Council service centre.

Septic Tanks

Rural areas and some townships will need a septic tank or a wastewater disposal system to get rid of their wastewater.

While inspections are conducted to ensure these are installed according to manufacturers’ specifications, it will need to be maintained and serviced by the property owner. It is a requirement when installing a new septic tank or wastewater disposal system that an ECan approved tank/system is used.

For more information contact ECan or your local Councils’ building team.

Kaikōura

Kaikōura district has seven water supply schemes. All water schemes are treated through filtration, ultraviolet light disinfection and chlorination. Currently none of these water schemes are fluoridated. Click on each area below to view the area served by each scheme.

Scheme type: On demand (pressure supply)

Kaikōura Urban and Kaikōura Suburban schemes have been merged together to create the Kaikōura Urban Water Supply. However, most parcels north of Postmans Road are still on restrictors due to the limitations of flow of water from the water main.

Suburban Water Scheme Areas Map

Map of Kaikōura Urban Water Supply

Scheme type: On demand (pressure supply)

Download a map of Kaikōura Ocean Ridge Water Supply

Map of Ocean Ridge Water Supply

Scheme type: Rural trickle flow

Download a map of Kaikōura East Coast Water Supply

Water Quality Status: Boil Water Notice Lifted April 2022. The water fully complies with NZ Dinking Water Standards thanks to the following improvements:

  • Installing a new treatment plant now fully complies with the NZ Drinking Water Standards
  • Replacement of pipelines
  • Bringing the control and monitoring systems up to current standards
  • Independent sampling and testing to confirm effectiveness of treatment
Map of Kaikōura District Council East Coast Water Supply

Scheme type: Rural trickle flow

Location: Download a map of Kincaid Rural Water Supply

Water Quality Status:

Scheme shuts down automatically to keep silty water out during and after long or heavy rain fall.

What do I need to do?

  • Make sure you have enough on-property storage to allow for at least three days without supply
  • During and after heavy rain, minimise your water use
  • Please make sure everyone who lives in or uses this property knows about this

How will I know about it?

If we expect a long outage we will update Council’s Facebook page and also send emails if we have your email address. We will not send notices after every rain event.

Map of Kincaid Rural Water Supply

Scheme type: Rural trickle flow

Location: Download a map of Fernleigh Rural Water Supply

Water Quality Status: Boil Water Notice Lifted December 2022. The water fully complies with NZ Dinking Water Standards thanks to the following improvements:

  • Improvements to the bore head (concrete pad and fencing to keep out stormwater and livestock)
  • Installing filtration and ultraviolet light disinfection and replacing the old chlorination system with a new one. The Fernleigh Water Scheme has always had chlorination. The new treatment plant now fully complies with the NZ Drinking Water Standards
  • Bringing the control and monitoring systems up to current standards
  • Independent sampling and testing to confirm effectiveness of treatment
Map of Fernleigh Rural Water Supply

Scheme type: On demand (pressure supply)

Location:Download a map of Oaro Rural Water supply

Map of Oaro Rural Water supply

Location: Download a map of Peketa Rural Water Supply

Map of Peketa Rural Water Supply

Location: Map not yet available

How our drinking water is treated

All of our water schemes are treated through filtration, ultraviolet light disinfection and chlorination. Currently none of our water schemes are fluoridated.

The Director General of Health wrote to water suppliers on 15 December 2021 to confirm the community oral health benefits of fluoridation and that fluoridation of supplies serving more than 500 people will be required under the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Act 2021. In the Kaikōura district this will only apply to the Kaikoura urban supply. The other schemes serve less than 250 people each.

At this stage nothing has been required of KDC and a definite date for implementation has not been set. Kaikōura District Council does not have any provision for capital or operational costs of fluoridation in our current long term or annual plans.

New water connections

You can apply for a new connection to the drinking water, storm water or sewer infrastructure by completing the form below and paying the administration fee. Before you submit your application, we encourage you to discuss your proposed change with Council staff. To discuss your application you can phone 03 319 5026 or email kdc@kaikoura.govt.nz.

You must ensure you have satisfied any resource consent and building consent requirements prior to work commencing. You will arrange for work within your own property at your expense and Council staff will arrange for work on Council assets to be undertaken by a Council-approved contractor. The Council-approved contractor will undertake the work and invoice you directly, Council staff will update the rates database for your property to ensure the correct rates and charges are applied to your property.

Water Services Application Form

Water supply problems

If you have a problem with your water supply, check if it’s a problem with the pipes in your house, or the pipe between the service valve and your house. If this is the case the problem is the property owners responsibility.

For ‘point of supply’ problems, contact us on 03 660 4803 or send an email to info@khws.co.nz