Council contractors will begin upgrading the Bridge Street water treatment plant on 26 May.

The plant is one of four treatment plants on the Ashburton community supply and it is being upgraded by adding a UV disinfection step, as now required by national drinking water assurance rules.

Group Manager of Infrastructure and Open Spaces Neil McCann said the existing building was being strengthened as well as altered internally to accommodate the new UV equipment and instrumentation.

“There will also be some pipe alterations to include the UV step in the water treatment process, and we think the whole project will take about six months to complete.”

Residents who live in the Bridge Street area may notice an increased number of vehicles parked on or the near the site, but disruptions and noise while the work is under way is expected to be minimal.

The contractor for the work will be ARC Projects and the project will cost about $832,000.

Council is spending about $10 million upgrading drinking water plants around the district that now need UV equipment so they comply with the national rules.