A dead possum in the Roxburgh reservoir has led to a boil water notice being put in place immediately for Roxburgh and Lake Roxburgh Village. The possum was identified during an unrelated inspection of the reservoir today, the Central Otago District Council said in a press release. Two water tankers have been available since about 5.30pm today at Roxburgh Area School and Lake Roxburgh Village Hall. The flushing under way was to ensure that any water that came out of the impacted reservoir is removed, before the boil water notice is lifted — which could be as early as tomorrow. "We know any boil water notice is an inconvenience to our communities, but we must be sure the water is safe to drink.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 11, 2026 01:40 UTC