A boil water notice has been extended to Little River, with residents urged to boil drinking water until further notice following severe flooding on Banks Peninsula.

The notice, which was already in place for Wainui, now applies to Little River after floodwaters affected local water supply infrastructure.

A council spokesperson said extensive flooding and overflowing septic tanks in Little River had reduced the capacity and availability of the water treatment system.

“Nothing is broken, but the conditions mean we need time to get on site, check everything thoroughly, and confirm the water is safe,” the spokesperson said.

At this stage, no contamination has been confirmed. However, because parts of the system were impacted by flooding, authorities said they could not guarantee water quality and issued the notice as a precaution to protect public health.

“All water used for drinking, preparing food, brushing teeth, washing utensils, or making ice should be boiled until further notice,” the spokesperson said.

Bringing water to a rolling boil for 1 minute is sufficient to kill bacteria. Water does not need to be boiled for showering, bathing or laundry, but residents have been advised to avoid swallowing water while showering.

The spokesperson said teams were working to assess the full impact of the flooding and inspect infrastructure, although challenging conditions were slowing progress.

“Until we have more information and can confirm that the water is safe to drink, the Boil Water Notice will remain in place,” the spokesperson said.

Residents will be updated as soon as it is safe to lift the notice. Further information is available on the council’s website, and public health advice on flooding can be found at info.health.nz/floods-and-health.