Focus on stormwater

A CCTV camera used to find blockages in stormwater and wastewater pipes in Horowhenua has come across a car battery. The underground camera was first used in March this year by Horowhenua District Council in an attempt to locate blocks in its networks, and already had found a car battery, old mobile phones, tree roots and a large amount of household debris. HDC group manager Brent Maguire said only 4km of more than 100km of both stormwater and wastewater networks had so far been filmed and the data would be used to test assumptions and prioritise works. An audit last year identified the need for improved confidence in HDC’s asset data from its stormwater and wastewater networks. The CCTV programme would be carried out over two years, and was expected to cost $666,880.