Tower plans lean to costly repair
Demolishing Cambridge’s more than a century old heritage building is not an option.
However, the initial estimates to refurbish the brick water tower suggest costs around $1.7 million and that’s only an early estimate.
Waipā District Council is currently navigating through the risk and budget factors to fast-track the work on the water tower.
The 19 metre-high Cambridge water tower is on the greenbelt near the Resthaven retirement village.
An earthquake assessment in 2014 said the tower met 25% of national building standards (NBS). The council is aiming to bring the tower up to a minimum of 67% NBS by 2026.
But building work at the nearby Resthaven retirement village, which could cause some ground movement, has seen staff recommend the council fast-track some mitigation work.
The cast iron tank on top of the tower as well as a corroded steel walkway and ladder needs to be gone.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga supports the work, likely to cost around $375,000.
The registered Category Two heritage building was built in 1902 using horses raising the bricks by pulley. Water was pumped to the tank on top of the tower, supplying Cambridge with water until it was decommissioned in 1926. It is one of only two such structures in the country.
The council’s deputy chief executive, Ken Morris, said the council was taking a ‘‘belts and braces approach’’ and the budget to bring the tower up to the required standard would likely be considered for inclusion in the council’s 2024-34 Long-Term Plan.
The fast-tracking would be part of broader mitigation work required for earthquake strengthening and was safest to do it now, said Morris.
‘‘Doing so removes any potential immediate risk to people using the greenbelt and also mitigates risk to the structure itself.’’
Morris said the initial estimated cost of $1.7m to refurbish the tower was neither approved in the budget nor was formally discussed.
Heritage New Zealand would never allow knocking down the tower given its status and relocating it wasn’t an option either because it would be ‘‘hideously expensive’’, Morris said.
‘‘At this stage, the best longterm option is to strengthen the tower. But in the meantime, there’s some practical and reasonable things we can – and should – get on with.’’