Council to continue discharging sewage into river

8:35 pm on 29 September 2010

Sewage will continue to be pumped into the Kaiapoi River for another month after a new fault was found in the earthquake-stricken town's sewerage system.

The Waimakariri District Council says it had hoped to be able to stop pumping sewage into the river this week.

The blockage has been discovered in a main sewer pipe beneath the river, which runs through the Canterbury town.

Council chief executive Jim Palmer says it will take about a month to repair the line and continuing to discharge sewage into the river in the meantime is the only viable option.

Mr Palmer says 95% of homes in Kaiapoi and nearby Pines Beach and Kairaki now have sewerage systems, but 200 houses do not.

Dolutions other than portaloos are being investigated for those properties, he says.

Sewage is also still being discharged into the lower Waimakariri River and Mr Palmer is warning people to stay out of all waterways.