Southland District Council contractors will soon begin replacing the water main that runs along Elder Drive, Tuatapere, from the water treatment plant in the Tuatapere Scenic Reserve to State Highway 99.

The water main runs down the centre of Elder Drive, which is very narrow, and as a result the road will need to be closed from 30 November, 2021, until 26 January 2022.

This means the Tuatapere Scenic Reserve and boat ramp will be inaccessible to vehicles while this work is being done.

However, Elder Drive will reopen over the Christmas-New Year period, from 23 December until 9 January 2022. 

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"Full access to the reserve and boat ramp will be reinstated at this busy time, but users are asked to be mindful that parts of the road will be gravel and some will be sealed," a council spokesperson said.

The Tuatapere domain walking track will remain open throughout the entire project.

The work is part of the government-funded three waters stimulus programme and involves replacing the old asbestos cement pipe with polyethylene pipe.

"The pipe is critical for Tuatapere’s drinking water supply and for firefighting purposes and needs to be fit for purpose for the next 100 years."