This story draws on reporting by The Southland Tribune.
Invercargill City Council is installing two more monitoring bores at an underground aquifer at Awarua as it tests whether the site can back up the city's Ōreti River water supply.
The bores are part of the Awarua Alternate Water Supply project, The Southland Tribune reported on Tuesday.
Invercargill and Bluff draw all their drinking water from the Ōreti River. The city's network can store only a few days' worth.
The council supplies about 23,000 cubic metres of water a day to more than 55,000 people, RNZ's Local Democracy Reporting service reported on Saturday.
Two test bores and two production wells have been at the Awarua site since 2021. The new bores take the number of test bores to four.
Council general manager water services Matt Keil said the bores marked a shift from planning into long-term testing.
"The installation of these bores on site is a real milestone," Mr Keil told the Tribune.
"This work is a long-term investment in Invercargill and Bluff's future water security, and our community's essential infrastructure," he said.
Mr Keil said the monitoring points would show groundwater levels, the quality of the water and how the aquifer behaves.
Earlier work at Awarua identified deep groundwater that may be suitable as a source of high-quality drinking water.
Last year the council rated its reliance on one river as a severe risk.
It said a long drought or contamination could have catastrophic results, including threats to public health and sanitation, loss of water for firefighting and a stop to commercial and industrial activity.
RNZ reported that no other New Zealand city of Invercargill's size lacked an alternate supply.
Senior project manager Alistair Snow told councillors the council was close to applying for a water take consent, RNZ reported.
"We are in a position later this month to lodge our water take permit, which is for the three year pumping program," Mr Snow said.
The final well is on hold while the council negotiates land access. Mr Snow said the options were to renegotiate with the landowner or find a new one.
Chief executive Michael Day said the Public Works Act was an option, but the council would avoid using it.
The council has set aside $25.2 million for the project, including $1.3 million for exploration and investigation.
What happens next
Drilling of the test wells is expected to be finished by early next year, depending on weather and ground conditions.
Pumping and monitoring will then run for about three years. The results will inform consenting and design, and a council decision on whether Awarua becomes an emergency or alternate supply.
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