Pirongia update

Emergency water restrictions - Wednesday, February 25, 2026

We’re making great progress in returning Pirongia to normal water usage – but we are not there yet.

While overall the Waipā District is moving from the immediate response to a recovery phase from the recent severe storm and flooding events, we cannot yet lift the emergency water restrictions in Pirongia.

For now, it’s critical that water is used only when needed. Please continue to use water inside only. Using water freely could put the network under pressure and affect supply to homes and emergency services.

We were able to strengthen Pirongia’s longer-term water supply over the weekend with a new backup connection at the Frontier Road reservoir in Te Awamutu. This is now being flushed and tested to make sure it meets drinking water safety standards before we can bring it into full operation.

Results of these tests are expected by the end of this week, and all going well we plan to to ease Pirongia out of the emergency water restrictions early next week. We will provide a timeline as soon as we can.

Recovery from this Civil Defence emergency means working together to get our communities back on their feet - in the short term, the weeks and months after the event, and in the longer term. It involves a coordinated effort from Council staff, contractors, Central Government, and the community itself.

We appreciate your patience and care - every bit of water saved helps get the system back to normal more quickly. We’ll keep you updated as soon as restrictions can be eased.

Update #3 - Friday, February 27, 2026

We’re reopening the Mangauika Road Bridge from 5pm today, Friday February 27.

There will be a 10km/h speed restriction in place at the site while we continue to monitor the bridge under traffic. Please take it slow and follow all signage.

A huge thank you to the community for your patience, and to the crew Downer, supported by Beca and our own roading teams.

Further work is planned soon to complete slip repairs (and possible culvert repairs) about 900 metres north of the bridge. That section of Mangauika Road will remain under temporary traffic management.

Our focus at the bridge site will now shift to designing and constructing permanent reinstatement and protection works beneath the bridge, to help protect it from similar flood events in the future.

Update #2 - Monday, February 23, 2026

Water supply update; emergency restrictions remain

Pirongia’s water supply was strengthened over the weekend with a new backup connection completed at the Frontier Road reservoir in Te Awamutu. The new pipe allows Frontier Road to be topped up from the Taylor Hill reservoir, giving the network extra capacity while resilience testing continues.

Ensuring the safety of our drinking water is our top priority - that's why emergency restrictions in Pirongia remain in place until testing shows that it’s safe to bring the new connection into full operation.

The severe weather event caused significant damage to infrastructure at Te Tahi Water Treatment Plant which supplied Pirongia, taking it out of operation and reducing water capacity across the district.

Easing restrictions will happen step by step once Council is confident the system can handle it. We hope to provide a timeline by the end of the week.

Water use in Pirongia remains restricted to essential indoor use only for now. This includes drinking, cooking, toilets, hygiene and cleaning. There is no outdoor water use.

The rest of the district is at Water Alert Level 2, which means avoiding unnecessary outdoor use.

Thank you to the Pirongia community for doing your part by reducing water use.

Updates on water restrictions will be advised via signage in Pirongia village, the Council’s website and social media channels.

Road closures

Mangauika Road bridge - The bridge is currently inaccessible. Residents can access the road from either end. We're making progress to get access restored as soon as possible.

Corcoran Road - Work continues to pump and clear the remaining water from the blocked drain. A temporary farm track is in place for residents' access only. Evacuated residents were able to return home on Friday evening, February 20.

Whatauri Road - Access for residents only via a temporary track and bridge. Fonterra can access farms under restrictions.

SH39 remains closed between Te Tahi and Ngutunui Roads due to the Mangati Bridge damage. This is part of the New Zealand Transport Agency’s roading network.

Closed tracks and reserves

Pirongia Esplanade Track and Mātakitaki Pā have been reopened. Geotechnic investigations are underway this week for the tracks and reserves that are still closed due to hazards - including slips, flooding, unstable ground and fallen trees. Please stay out of the following areas:

• Pirongia Forest
• Sainsbury Road Reserve
• Kakepuku Mountain Track
• Pirongia Mountain

Rates

We know some people are doing it tough out there, and rates instalment three is due today. If you are having difficulty meeting your rates commitments, please contact our rates team on 0800 924 723 or email rates@waipadc.govt.nz.

Recycling

There are some limits on our ability to complete kerbside recycling collections safely. If your street is closed or only partially accessible, please do not place your bins out for collection until we advise that access has been fully restored. Recycling will be picked up on your next scheduled day or via a special run when access is restored.