A Hastings cafe owner is frustrated at the timing of a $6.2 million project to build a drinking water trunk main between the central city's Waiaroha tanks and the Havelock North trunk main.
The route runs past a school, businesses and homes through busy streets near central Hastings, many with free parking and regularly lined with vehicles.
The work, expected to take 11 months, will primarily be on Eastbourne St East past St Joseph's School, Willowpark Rd North and South and St Aubyn St East.
Salt Cafe owner Mary Seton says the disruption could not have come at a worse time.
"We are coming into the busiest time of the year when trade and traffic will increase as we head into the Christmas season.
"That's my issue. It's been tough since the cyclone and we were just starting to turn a profit again after years and years of struggle and now this. It's just one thing after another."
Seton, whose cafe is part of the Parkvale shops on the corner of St Aubyn Street and Riverslea Road, said she understood the work needed to be done with Hastings' expanding population.
"Everyone needs clean, healthy drinking water, but I question the timing."
A Hastings District Council spokesperson said they had contacted affected businesses and residents through letter drops, planned business and drop-in sessions, and in person.
"We understand this work will also be disruptive to the wider community and will continue to provide regular updates on our website and social media pages on any potential disruption and the impacts so people can plan accordingly."
The spokesperson said Fulton Hogan council representatives would continue to liaise with businesses and residents and the council had been working closely with St Joseph's School to ensure "impacts are understood and disruption is minimal".
St Joseph's School principal Kara-Leigh Jones said she was happy with communication between the school and the council.
"They have been absolutely amazing at keeping us up to date. They have made us a priority, and I feel they have listened to me and come back with solutions."
The council spokesperson said the project would be a slow-moving construction site broken into sections, and some parking spaces in and around work areas would be temporarily unavailable.
Property access would be maintained where possible, and residents would be notified before works affecting their area.
They said the work would improve the capacity and resilience of the drinking water supply to support future growth and intensification in Hastings East and Havelock North, and enable lower operating pressures across the network.
While the Traffic Management Plan is being finalised, the spokesperson said there could be partial road closures on sections being worked on, but the community, businesses and directly impacted households would be notified well in advance.
The spokesperson said detailed information would be available after the Traffic Management Plan was confirmed.
Last week, League Park Superette owner Hetal Shastri said he was on the brink of bankruptcy after the Napier City Council closed the southbound lane of Taradale Rd, Marewa for almost nine months to allow workers to replace a culvert. The council said the road would be fully reopened on September 21.
