Otago residents from Waikouaiti, Karitane and Hawksbury Village attended a community meeting on Wednesday to be told it will be months before they'll be able to drink tap water again and they may never know what caused the lead contamination. Locals were told not to drink the water in early February. The warning will stay in place until old pipes with lead fittings are removed, which could take until June. Dr Susan Jack, the medical officer of health for Southern DHB, spoke to Corin Dann.