Residents in the Southland town of Winton have been told to conserve water after their water supply was cut off.
Water Photo: 123RF
A pipe leading into the town's water main ruptured on Railway Street late this morning.
Southland District Council communications team member Chris Chilton says staff on the scene described a geyser of water jetting into the air.
Residents were issued an urgent water conservation notice as the water would disappear within an hour if they continued normal usage, Mr Chilton said.
While it would be a 50-minute fix, a pipe was still being sourced to fix the issue and until then water needed to be used only for hygiene and health, he said.
The cause of the rupture was unknown.
The immediate priority was to fix the pipe and restore water to the town.
