Delivering more than milk
As parts of New Zealand are struggling with drought Fonterra is lending a hand where it can with milk tankers delivering water to desperate communities.
In Northland we’ve been building water deliveries into milk collection schedules with the Co-operative’s Kauri site working with the local regional council to help with water deliveries to the towns of Kaikohe, Kaitaia, Rawene and Dargaville when needed.
We’ve also brought eight 21,000 litre portable tanks up from the South Island.
Two have been delivered to Kaitaia and the others are on standby to be moved at any time to where they can be of most use.
Recently the Waitoa tanker team also got the call up from Civil Defence when the township of Waihi in Hauraki District ran dry after a burst water main.
Steve Fabish, from the Hauraki District Council thanked Fonterra for coming to the rescue, saying their civil defence team “were very complementary of the local Fonterra can do, make things happen attitude, which is very much appreciated.”
“We’re helping out where we can,” says GM National Transport and Logistics Barry McColl.
“While our priority is and will always be, collecting farmers milk, it’s really important that we step up and help our communities in their time of need if possible.”
“We are restricted in that the majority of our tankers are still being used or are being stripped down to get them ready for next season, in addition to this some of our drivers have completed their hours for the season, so we’re treating each request on a case by case basis.”