The woman who alerted the Western Bay of Plenty District Council to problems with the region's water supply today has come forward with pictures of the rash she sustained in the shower.

She alerted the district council to the issue when she was taken for medical treatment earlier today.

The pain she describes as ‘bearable' for an adult.

'If this happened to a baby or a small child, it could have been quite different,” says the woman who doesn't want to be identified.

She took a water sample along with her and her doctor found it had a pH reading of 9.

She says it's not an over-chlorination issue. She knows what chlorine tastes like.

'This was a foul petrol-oily taste.”

The pH level in drinking water should normally be between 6.5 and 8.5. A pH level of 7 is considered to be neutral.

Drinking water with higher levels of pH does not pose a health risk, but it does indicate high alkalinity.

The Pukehina Beach water supply is back to neutral pH, but residents should flush their system before drinking or bathing, warns the Western Bay of Plenty District Council.

Council water supply technicians have completed flushing the Pukehina Beach water supply system which showed a high level of pH this morning.

Pukehina residents should run water taps for ten minutes to ensure the fresh water supply is coming through the system.

Council utilities manager Kelvin Hill says once this has been done people are advised to rub their fingers together in the running water and if it feels slimy to the touch, then keep flushing.

Water cylinders should be flushed completely and households with header tanks are advised to do the same.

Flushing is taking place in other potentially affected areas of the District - Paengaroa, Maketu, Little Waihi and Pongakawa – and the all-clear is expected to be given by the end of the day.

A number of businesses, schools and organisations have already been given clearance.

People in these areas should continue not to drink the water or bathe in it until further notice.

Council will be using signage to inform residents of the need to flush their water systems, but asks residents to assist spreading the word by informing their neighbours of the situation, especially those coming to the beach from out of town.

Council has been supplying residents with water today.

Kelvin says it's a timely reminder for people to keep an emergency supply of fresh drinking water as part of their household emergency plan.