Hunter Water is working to repair the second of two breaks in the main that supplies Maitland.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The water main broke in two places, north and south of Dungog, as a result of the super storm that swept through the Hunter on April 22.
The breaks have meant that Hunter Water has had to use Grahamstown Dam, instead of Chichester Dam, to supply the city.
A spokesman told the Mercury that the northern break had been repaired and crews hoped to have the southern break fixed by Friday.
He said Hunter Water had been monitoring water in Grahamstown Dam hourly to make sure the city’s drinking water remained within the Australian standard.
There have been regular health warnings in the past fortnight from councils, the Environmental Protection Authority and NSW Health about the dangers of consuming or being exposed to floodwater.
“As a precaution, Hunter Water has increased the chlorine treatment, although this is now gradually being scaled back to normal levels,” the spokesman said.
“It’s worth noting that, despite the huge volume of stormwater that has made its way into Grahamstown Dam, the treated water has remained well within appropriate health standards.
“We are also sampling water daily at 60 points throughout the network to ensure the water remains safe to drink.”
He said Hunter Water had been in regular contact with the health department.
“NSW health has been very supportive, publicly and privately, of how Hunter Water has protected local water supplies,” he said.