Vandalism attack damages $13k of flood warning gear
Taranaki ratepayers will have to fork out $13,000 for a new flood monitoring station after an existing one fell victim to theft and vandalism.
The Taranaki Regional Council said the site damaged site, along the Waiwhakaiho River, would need to be decommissioned and another rebuilt somewhere else.
‘‘We’re gutted to find the site beyond repair. Our flood monitoring networks are a hugely important asset,’’ council science and technology manager Regan Phipps said.
The station was initially broken into on March 23 during the early hours of the morning and padlocks were secured by the council to prevent another break in.
However, a second attempt by thieves was deemed successful, with the station vandalised and all monitoring equipment stolen.
‘‘It’s frustrating given [it] will have very little value for any use outside what it is intended for,’’ Phipps said.
The council said the damage also left the community vulnerable to unexpected flooding.
‘‘This particular station was used to monitor flood flows in the lower Waiwhakaiho River.’’
The monitoring system rings a ‘‘final warning’’ in the event of a flood for surrounding businesses to take precautions, Phipps said.
‘‘Having no data being captured presented a risk to the community.’’
Phipps encouraged anyone with information about vandalism at this site to call the police.