Presenting a selection of the aerated (or soda, if you prefer) water bottles that have surfaced so far on Christchurch archaeological sites. Brace yourselves: there may be water puns (although, honestly, most of the ones we could think of were simply too … Continue reading →
In the days after the devastating earthquake on 22 February 2011, we lost water in my neighbourhood. However, I was able to supplement the water in our emergency kit with water from this spigot in Somerfield Cemetary. Thank you, William Russell.
A City Care worker sits beside a water tank. A sign advices that water must be boiled before use.
A City Care worker sitting beside a water tank. A sign advices that water must be boiled before use.
Water containers being filled from a drinking water station on the Esplanade in Sumner.
None
A sign warning of contaminated water lies on the ground. The sign reads "Warning, contaminated water. Due to Sewage Overflows the water is unsafe for human contact and activity and is a Public Health Risk. Please keep all people and pets out of contact with the water and do not consume any seafood or shellfish collected from this area." The photographer comments, "The sign for contaminated water has fallen, but the warning should still be heeded".
Access to clean and safe drinking water is a fundamental human requirement. However, in many areas of the world natural water sources have been impacted by a variety of biological and chemical contaminants. The ingestion of these contaminants may cause acute or chronic health problems. To prevent such illnesses, many technologies have been developed to treat, disinfect and supply safe drinking water quality. However, despite these advancements, water supply distribution systems can adversely affect the drinking water quality before it is delivered to consumers. The primary aim of this research was to investigate the effect that water distribution systems may have on household drinking water quality in Christchurch, New Zealand and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Water samples were collected from the source water and household taps in both cities. The samples were then tested for various physical, chemical and biological water quality parameters. The data collected was also used to determine if water samples complied with national drinking water quality standards in both countries. Independent samples t-test statistical analyses were also performed to determine if water quality measured in the samples collected from the source and household taps was significantly different. Water quality did not vary considerably between the source and tap water samples collected in Christchurch City. No bacteria were detected in any sample. However, the pH and total iron concentrations measured in source and tap water samples were found to be significantly different. The lower pH values measured in tap water samples suggests that corrosion may be taking place in the distribution system. No water samples transgressed the Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand (DWSNZ) MAVs. Monitoring data collected by the Christchurch City Council (CCC) was also used for comparison. A number of pH, turbidity and total iron concentration measurements collected by the CCC in 2011 were found to exceed the guideline values. This is likely due to structural damage to the source wells and pump-stations that occurred during the 2011 earthquake events. Overall, it was concluded that the distribution system does not adversely affect the quality of Christchurch City’s household drinking water. The water quality measured in samples collected from the source (LTP) and household taps in Addis Ababa was found to vary considerably. The water collected from the source complied with the Ethiopian (WHO) drinking water quality standards. However, tap water samples were often found to have degraded water quality for the physical and chemical parameters tested. This was especially the case after supply interruption and reinstatement events. Bacteria were also often detected in household tap water samples. The results from this study indicate that water supply disruptions may result in degraded water quality. This may be due to a drop in pipeline pressure and the intrusion of contaminants through the leaky and cross-connected pipes in the distribution network. This adversely affects the drinking water quality in Addis Ababa.
Water tanks on the Sumner Esplanade. Both have prominent notices advising that water must be boiled before use. On one tank is a notice advertising a community hub where residents can get assistance, and on the other is written "Free use of for Christchurch earthquake. Please return to Wymers Domestic Water Carriers, Hamilton".
Residents of Burwood filling water bottles from a City Council water supply in Burwood. Many parts of the city were without water following the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
A water tank on Main Road in Redcliffs with a sign reading, "Water. All water must be boiled". There is a smaller sign underneath reading, "Wash your hands".
A photograph captioned by Paul Corliss, "Water supply at reservoir, Mount Pleasant".
A photograph captioned by Paul Corliss, "Water supply at reservoir, Mount Pleasant".
A photograph captioned by Paul Corliss, "Water supply at reservoir, Mount Pleasant".
A photograph captioned by Paul Corliss, "Water supply at reservoir, Mount Pleasant".
Palmers Road, New Brighton
A video of water erupting out of a burst water main in the Christchurch central city.
A water tank in Sumner. A large notice taped to the tank reads "Water. All water must be boiled".
One landscape colour digital photograph taken on 25 February 2011 showing the temporary water tank installed on the grassy [local name for Lyttelton Main School Field] to provide drinking water for residents to collect when there was no town supply water. A temporary source of drinking water was needed following the 22 February 2011 earthquake...
An interview with LT Michael Clulow, 2nd Engineer Regiment, about the New Zealand Army engineers turning New Brighton sea water into fresh water for local residents.
Overview of the Presentation Jarg: • The seismic context & liquefaction Tom: • Potable Water Supply • Waste Water Network
Two litre plastic bottle of Asahi brand water.
Water and liquefaction flows into the Avon River in Richmond. The water level is very high, and the water is cloudy with silt. The photographer comments, "Water from Dudley Creek took a shortcut across the road into the Avon. It doesn't have much of a drop from the road to the river".
Workers repairing water mains along Galbraith Avenue in Avonside. A blue pipe carrying a temporary water supply to the neighbourhood can be seen running across the park.
None
One landscape colour digital photograph taken on 28 February 2011 showing the plume of water from a broken water main. The plume appears to be in the vicinity of the Bridle Path. Photograph taken looking west from the corner of Canterbury and Ripon Streets. Repairing infrastructure following the Canterbury Earthquakes has proved to be a complex...
Best View - Press "L". After 36 million liters of water mysteriously disappeared from this reservoir on Huntsbury Hill following the February 22nd 6.3 earthquake in Christchurch work has started on repairing it. This image shows just how large the tank is with a work-truck parked inside it. See Video of TV3 News item:
A worker in a hi-vis jacket washes his hands at a tap connected to a water tanker. The photographer comments, "There's no running tap water in the Ferrymead, Redcliffs or Sumner areas".
A photograph of a water tanker. The photograph is captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Filling up his truck with water prior to spraying the street. Liggins Street, Horseshoe Lake, Burwood".
Living in Christchurch, I am grateful for many things, especially the quality of the tap water. In Christchurch we are very lucky because our tap water is of such purity that it doesn’t need to be treated with chlorine like … Continue reading →