A water tanker has become commonplace in their town centre, and Methven residents can’t wait for the town’s water supply upgrade to be complete.
Methven has suffered through yet another boil water notice that was lifted on Monday morning, which meant another busy winter weekend in the tourist town sourcing clean water.
For businesses trading in a booming winter period in the tourist town, the added stress of sourcing clean water hasn’t helped on top of staffing shortages while they are flat out with ski season trade.
Alpine Grind café owner, Hannah Mentink, said the boil water notices “are a hassle for everyone, but it is what it is”.
“It’s a bit of a pain but we can understand why they put them in place,” Mentink said.
Café 131 owner, Richard Toms, said it is an inconvenience that won’t be fixed overnight, but there was no point getting all riled up about it.
“It is a pain because when we are busy you have to keep an eye on it all the time and we are really busy with ski season,” Toms said.
“But there are worse places in the world and it’s not that bad we can’t manage it.”
Café 131 and Alpine Grind are lucky enough to be situated across the road from the tanker, but both said having a water tanker circulating businesses delivering water was a huge help.
Deputy mayor and Methven resident, Liz McMillan said in last week’s council activity briefing that the boil water notices have been a tiresome drain on the town.
She said the community and the businesses are to be commended.
“It’s been tough,” McMillan said.
“We can’t wait until that membrane plant is in.
"It’s wearing people down.”
An end is in sight with the Ashburton District Council’s $9.4 million Methven water supply upgrade under way that will put an end to boil water notices – but it will not be completed until mid-2023.
The council is aiming to have the first new reservoir tank commissioned by the end of the month, which has 840 cubic metres storage capacity, more than the existing concrete tank’s 700cm3.
The recent 150kph winds damaged the second new tank to the point a full replacement is required, meaning a two-month delay waiting for new parts.
Construction of the membrane plant is on schedule for February, dependent on supply chain issues and weather, which will be commissioned before next winter.

• By Jonathan Leask