Newly released drone footage shows the huge extent of a burst water main that led to 800,000 litres of wastewater entering Lake Taupō yesterday.
The footage taken by Taupō Distrct Council shows the massive repair job facing contractors, which will take weeks.
The water main broke on Lake Terrace just after 2pm yesterday causing a large washout on the lake front.
About an hour later the footpath collapsed and took out a wastewater pipe causing the wastewater to enter the lake.
In an update this afternoon, Taupō District Council has urged residents to minimise their water use for the next three to five days, especially during morning and evening peak times.
Council chief executive Gareth Green said pumps had been operating through the night to manage wastewater flows at the site of the break and the staff and contractors had been successful in stopping any flow into the lake.
More pumps were being brought in today and sandbags had been put in the manhole and the pipe, as a further preventative measure.
Drinking water was not affected. Water sampling was being taken twice daily for at least the next three days to determine Ecoli levels in the lake.
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