Farmers and rural businesses bring fresh water to city
Audio, Radio New Zealand
Farmers and rural businesses have been combining their efforts to bring desperately needed fresh water supplies to earthquake shattered Christchurch.
Farmers and rural businesses have been combining their efforts to bring desperately needed fresh water supplies to earthquake shattered Christchurch.
In Christchurch power is back on for all but a small number of customers after Monday's earthquakes, but the city council is warning it could be six months before water supplies return to normal.
One of the great community initiative's in Canterbury is the Rangiora Earthquake Express - where urgent help is still needed. These Rangiora volunteers have been up and running for sometime now, with daily runs into the Christchurch suburbs most desperately in need of water and other essential supplies.
Sixteen-year-old Sam Mackwell and his mates from St Thomas of Canterbury College have created a device that uses boiling water to charge cellphones, power a light and run a radio. They came up with the idea for the small generator after the first earthquake in Canterbury in September when electricity supplies were cut to much of the city. They call the device"The Lion"and hope to sell it in retail stores soon.