Latest news with #Timaru
RNZ News
7 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Timaru blows rivals out of the water again
Timaru mayor Nigel Bowen Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon Fly to Timaru and taste the country's top water - that's the invitation from the city's mayor Nigel Bowen after its latest success. Timaru District Council's Seadown water supply has been crowned the best tasting tap water in New Zealand in the 2025 IXOM National Water Taste Test competition . It's the third time the city has won the contest in the last six years. The samples were drawn from a scheme that is one of 13 the city runs and its location next to the Timaru airport prompted Bowen to invite people from around the country to come and sample it. Water Industry Operations Group of New Zealand chairperson Joshua McIndoe said the four finalists were judged on four criteria: colour, clarity, odour and taste. He said the water from Rotorua and Taupō were both from surface water catchments, while Timaru and Waimakariri were both bore water supplies. Bowen said he was very proud as it was an exciting success for the city. "I think it puts a lot of focus on what a cool thing it is for local government as far as what we need to provide and invest in for the country." Judges said the water didn't taste too much of chlorine and had some earthy tones. Bowen said the samples were taken from the small Seadown Water Scheme which covers about 500 hectares covering 450 households and close to the airport. "So if you fly into Timaru you can taste the best water in the country on arrival. But it is really good water." The source was a shallow well next to the Opihi River. "So really good source water and there's not a lot of treatment. It's a little bit of chlorine and ultra-violet so it does speak to the quality of the source water and also the great job that our team in water do." The city had won the competition three times and each time had used a different scheme for its entry so it was testimony to the work of the city's water engineers, Bowen said. Timaru will represent New Zealand at the trans-Tasman water taste-off in Australia in July. Asked if the city could win "the Bledisloe Cup" for water supremacy, Bowen assured Morning Report host Paddy Gower the city would be "putting its best foot forward. I'm sure we'll do pretty well".
RNZ News
29-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Timaru New Zealand's best tap water, officially
Timaru District Council's Water Plant Manager John Clemens celebrates the Timaru settlement of Seadown being crowned New Zealand's best-tasting tap water at the 2025 IXOM National Water Taste-Test competition with Emile Donovan.
RNZ News
26-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Former Timaru meatworks site sold for undisclosed amount
Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon The former Smithfield meat processing plant site in Timaru has been sold, but Alliance Group says the price paid for the land remains a secret. Six hundred meatworkers lost their jobs last year when the farmer-owned red meat cooperative announced it would close the 139-year-old site, which it had owned since 1989. Alliance chief executive Willie Wiese said there was significant interest in the 32-hectare site. "Smithfield has been a well-known part of the Timaru landscape for nearly 140 years. While this marks the end of an era, we're pleased to have concluded the sale and to enable new investment in the site." He confirmed it had now sold, though the price and the purchaser are confidential. Alliance Group reported a loss of $95.8m after tax for the year ended September in its 2024 annual report which included the one-off charge of $51.3m to cover the redundancies and closure of the Smithfield site. Declining sheep processing numbers as a result of land-use change was credited as one of the primary reasons for the site's closure. This had resulted in surplus capacity in its plant network. Alliance Group has six processing plants across the country, including four in the South Island. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- RNZ News
Cattle wandering SH1 after Timaru crash, one person taken to hospital
Local veterinarians have been called in to help. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King Cattle are wandering State Highway 1 south of Timaru after the truck they were travelling in crashed. Emergency services were called to Saint Andrews shortly before 1pm on Sunday after a cattle truck rolled near the intersection of Otaio River Rd on the Waimate highway. St John Ambulance said one person had been taken to Timaru Hospital in a moderate condition. Fire and Emergency southern shift manager Alex Norris said some cattle were also injured, with some still inside the truck and others were on the road. He said local veterinarians were being called in to help and the road was likely to remain closed for some time. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
22-05-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Marathon effort personal for family
A Timaru family is once again clocking up the kilometres to save New Zealand's hearts. George McAleer and parents Kevin McAleer and Jane Sullivan have teamed up to tackle the Heart Foundation's MyMarathon challenge to raise funds for heart research. Over the course of May — George and Kevin are aiming to each run 100km while Jane will be swimming a minimum of 42km. George, now 23, was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation and heart failure when he was 19 and had planned to complete the marathon with his parents last year but was unable to after two admissions and a heart procedure at Christchurch Hospital. He said it was great to be able fully take part this year. "Last year was a big bummer with the operation in the middle of the month but I'm able to get through it this year and I'm actually rushing through it pretty quick which I'm happy with. "I've already done about 75km out of my 100km goal. "It's great to have my family take part and have my friends show their support through donations or raising money themselves." He said it was cool to see. "Having had problems you sort of feel quite alone. "For me when it happened, I didn't know anyone else my age that had been going through anything like this or even that it could happen to people my age. "So, getting among this and seeing people my age with similar problems and doing their own fundraising makes it feel like you're not alone through it all." The initial heart problems came out of nowhere, he said. "I was stressed with university and life in general, I thought I was just having panic attacks. "I was lying in bed at the time and my heart rate was 180. I thought I'd just sleep it off and it'd be good in the morning and it wasn't, so I went to the hospital. "If anyone has unusual symptoms they should go and get them checked out, it only takes an extra 30 seconds for the doctor to listen to your heart. It's not much but it's worth it." Despite taking a bit of time to get over last year's operation, he was feeling great. "I've been back in rhythm since the operation which is good but initially it was tough. "You go from feeling fit and healthy to lying down and your heart rate is three times higher than it should be. "It's quite an uneasy feeling, a lot of confidence was lost and that took a bit of time and effort to get back. "Now that I've been through it a few times, I know what to look out for. "The new normal for me now is pretty much my old normal again which is really nice." Ms Sullivan said it was great to be back taking part in the marathon again after their team raised more than $4000 last year. "It's good motivation when you know someone down the track had to discover how to treat the different heart conditions. "George is benefiting from some research that was done years and years ago, so you're hoping that for more complex situations that we'll keep discovering new ways to treat the heart. "We were quite overwhelmed with the support we received last year. "It's great to be able to raise awareness because a lot of families are touched by heart conditions." She said heart problems could happen to anyone. "We've had a lot of new people come forward and donate this year which has been really nice. "It's difficult to ask and put pressure on people to donate so we really appreciate people supporting us." Anyone wishing to support the family and help them hit their $3000 goal can do so by visiting the Team McAleer page on the MyMarathon website. Blood pressure is also a big focus of the Heart Foundation this month and the organisation will be offering free checks in South Canterbury at Farmlands Timaru on May 26 from 10am to 2pm and New World Temuka on May 27 from 10am to 2pm.
