Supplies of emergency water tanks have run out in Wellington as residents scramble to prepare for another major earthquake.
Some areas of the capital could face an extended period without tap water in the aftermath of an earthquake - some homes could be without water for months.
Noel MacDonald is a sales manager for water tank suppliers Tank Guy, and says business is booming.
"I think the earthquake was a little bit of a shakeup, excuse the pun. I think demand has increased ten-fold."
Mr MacDonald's company has hired extra staff with some working double shifts to fill hundreds of back orders.
Wellington City Council is out of stock and other councils say the tanks are sold out within hours of being delivered.
"I've actually had trouble getting parks at councils because people are queuing up getting them," says Mr MacDonald.
Lower Hutt resident Darryl Wolff was on a waiting list before finally getting his hands on a tank.
"Of all the things you're going to need, water is right up there," Mr Wolff told Newshub.
In 2014 the Wellington Emergency Management Office started a scheme offering the tanks at cost price through the councils. Their concern is that some homes could be cut off from the main water supply, such as the Hutt River, following an earthquake.
Dan Neely, community resilience manager for the Wellington Region Emergency Management Office, believes certain suburbs would face a long wait for water.
"The water supply could be cut in a variety of places and we know that up to the southern suburbs particularly it could be up to 100 days without water."
Tank makers expect to fill their back log of orders by the end of the month, but demand is unlikely to ease as councils want one installed in every Wellington home.
Newshub.
