The days of smelly and dirty water in Woodville are numbered after a new treatment plant began operating in the town.

The $700,000 plant upgrade has been brought online over the past two weeks. Tararua District Council staff are so happy with its performance that a water tanker, which has supplied water to residents since March, is being removed on Monday.

"We're producing pretty high-quality water now," District Council utilities manager Dave Watson said. "The plant is working well."

Mr Watson said there still issues with the quality of water coming into the processing plant, but after a number of upgrades there were no issues with what then flowed into town.

"We haven't had any complaints, it's working well at this stage."

The quality of Woodville's water has long been a source of frustration in the town. The water quality deteriorated further after a slip in March dumped a large volume of dirt into the stream that supplies the town.

"It was terrible, very discoloured," Tararua District councillor Peter Johns said.

Woodville residents said prior to that slip there were already complaints from residents of an odour or taste to the water.

"It wasn't unhealthy, but you could have a shower and still smell it on you an hour later. Hopefully those days are behind us."

Cr Johns said the water quality in the past two weeks was "certainly an improvement". "I'm aware of one or two people having problems but that's more to do with flushing out the pipes."

Tararua Mayor Roly Ellis said contractors were working through the town flushing out sections of the water network. Residents receiving discoloured water should contact the council so maintenance could be carried out.

- © Fairfax NZ News