Media release

Temporary shut down for Water Treatment Station as a precaution

Posted On: Tuesday, 8 July 2003

Hamilton's Water Treatment Station has been shutdown for a few hours as a precaution, after an accident caused a truck to spill 15 tonnes of urea into Waikato River near Narrows Bridge.

Operations manager David Hight says urea can unsettle the water treatment process so the station was shut down at 9.30am for a few hours after a call from Environment Waikato.

"With the station's clearwater tank and network of reservoirs in the city Hamilton will continue to have a constant supply of clean, fresh water. We have shut down the station to allow the spill to pass down river, which Environment Waikato has advised will be by about 12.30pm."

Urea is high in pH and able to unsettle the water treatment process.

It takes about three hours for water from Narrows Bridge through the city.