Te Waihou Walkway / Blue Spring

Swimming is permitted at the Whites Road end carpark and along Te Waihou at various points. People are cautioned against causing damage to the banks of the river. Swimming is discouraged at the Blue Spring and nearby environment itself as swimming has already caused significant damage to the vegetation, particularly marginal river bank plantings that is breeding and feeding habitat for fish species.

Alcohol consumption is discouraged, but can't currently be prohibited. In order to prohibit alcohol we would need to include Te Waihou in our Public Places Bylaw as a prohibited alcohol consumption area; and then of course there is the question of how to regulate, monitor and enforce.

No, dogs are not allowed on the Te Waihou Walkway because of the proximity to stock on private land, dog waste not being picked up by some users and danger to wildlife in the area.

Yes, there are three operational toilets. One at Whites Road carpark, one along the track and one at the Blue Spring. This toilet is still open for use.

Camping is not permitted anywhere along Te Waihou Walkway nor in the parking lots at Leslie Road and Whites Road. The Whites Road parking area is a Rest Area managed by the New Zealand Transport Agency and does not allow for overnight camping.

No.

While the path to the viewing deck from the Leslie Road entrance is relatively accessible and free of major obstacles, it's important to note that the road itself is unpaved, which can make for a bumpy ride. It would be manageable for an accessibility scooter, but unfortunately, it's not ideal for a standard wheelchair.

The Blue Spring is a natural taonga (treasure) formed through the special and delicate merger of geology, ecology, freshwater biology and geography, over many hundreds of thousands of years.

Yes, but a fishing licence is required. These can be acquired from Council offices in Tīrau, Tokoroa or from the Putāruru Information Centre.

The water that comes from the Blue Spring flows from the Kaimais via the Mamaku Plateau. It takes anywhere from 50 to 100 years to reach the Blue Spring from its source.

The beautiful clear blue-green of the Blue Spring and Te Waihou is due to its purity as particles are removed during its journey through underground acquifers.

The ultra-violet disinfection system is housed in the shed. Urban household water supply from the Blue Spring is treated to meet the strict drinking water standards in NZ. Council is confident that the water supply from the Blue Spring is safe for human consumption.

Water from the Blue Spring supplies approximately half of the township of Putāruru and water bottlers.

We sample the water every four days at the headworks to ensure the absence of e.Coli and other chloroforms to ensure the supply meets the Drinking Water Standards. Further sampling is conducted every eight days in the reticulation system. We sample for pH and turbidity every two to three days. We sample for cryptosporidium and giardia twice a year.

Water flows from the spring at a rate of 700 litres per second.

Council has Water Supply Agreements with each of the bottlers, which allows each of the bottles to take a certain volume of water from Councils supply each day.

The charge for the 2025-26 rating year is $1.75 per m3. This is reviewed every year.

Council treats all industry the same that use water from Council's supply, whether the water is used for wood treatment, concrete making or making cups of coffee.

Bottlers do not take water from the Blue Spring. Council takes water from the Blue Spring under a resource consent with Waikato Regional Council and water is supplied to bottlers under a legal agreement. Half of the Putāruru township is supplied with water from this source. The bottlers are only three properties that are supplied from this source.