Government funding will help protect water supply
this funding which provides resilience to the plant, while a longer-term alternative to move parts of the water treatment plant to higher ground can be achieved, at an estimated cost in excess of $6 million.”
The funding comes from money set aside in Budget 2023 for flood protection and mitigation measures that could be undertaken in a short timeframe.
“This is a great example of central and local government working together for the good of the regions,” said McAnulty.
Neighbouring farmer Ian Waldrom was happy to hear the announcement.
He and his father farm properties adjacent to the treatment plant, and Ian was on site during the cyclone, ferrying sandbags and staff to the treatment plant.
Ian also had to shift his father’s stock to his own, less-affected farm, and saw the devastation as the water receded leaving his father’s farm fences destroyed. Cyril, Ian’s father, has since died, but Ian says having farmed that land his whole life, “he would have been very happy to see
this happen”.
Walker said: “This funding will provide immediate protection to the water supply of businesses and residents relying on this drinking water supply.
“Without it, about 20 per cent of local businesses, households and whānau in Central Hawke’s Bay remain at the mercy of the Waipawa River during heavy rainfall. This brings a heightened risk of plant
failure, high turbidity (reduced clarity) in the water and the need for a boil-water notice.
“Beyond securing safe drinking water and immediate peace of mind, it allows us to rebuild the stopbank to a higher level of resilience, which is crucial in the face of climate change. It will also provide longerterm benefits for a project we have under way to secure a second supply for 4700 people in Waipukurau.
“This funding solves a key issue affecting Central Hawke’s Bay, but there is still much to be done in order to balance replacement and repair of existing infrastructure with repairs to damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.
“Delivering everything we are tasked with is becoming an increasingly unsustainable and unrealistic challenge for our ratepayers to fund which means making some difficult decisions about when and how we deliver key projects.
“Funding such as this is a huge step in the right direction. We are so thankful for a partnership which allows us to secure access to a vital water source.”
The project will be constructed in two phases, the first phase being the immediate reinstatement work, with the design, consenting and construction of the higher level of protection running parallel.
The council estimates the immediate reinstatement work will be completed by December 2023, with the construction of the higher level of protection stopbank planned to be completed by June 2024.
The rebuild of the stopbank is proposed to be constructed to a 1 in 100-year design, which will provide a higher level of protection than the original stopbank, which was originally designed for only a 1 in 50-year event.
The Prime Minister asked Waldrom if he would sleep a little better once he knew the stopbank was safe.
“Yes, and knowing that I don’t have to move stock,” he said. “When we get a nice new stopbank there I will sit on it and have a picnic.”