Waiau River mouth job ‘clearly not finished’
Mayor disappointed agency said work done
Southland District mayor Rob Scott says he is “very disappointed” Emergency Management Southland has said the work to open the Waiau River mouth to protect the homes at Bluecliffs is finished, when it “clearly” is not.
On Friday, Civil Defence controller Simon Mapp said Environment Southland’s contractors had completed the cut into the gravel bar at the Waiau River mouth.
The work aims to realign the river opening to the sea in the hopes it will delay further erosion in front of the properties at the Western Southland coastal community of Bluecliffs.
“Late on Thursday, the contractors cut through the bar after moving around 30,000 cubic metres of material over the past two weeks. With the opening now complete, we want to thank all those who have been involved in making this happen,” Mapp said.
However, Scott said he had been to the river mouth and it clearly was not open.
“I am very disappointed that it has been stated the work is complete. The river is still running past the homes and the tip, and continuing to erode the land away,” Scott said.
In response, an Emergency Management Southland spokesperson said it was regrouping and would reassess its next steps in terms of the opening at the bar and the removal of material at the Bluecliffs landfill.
Scott has extended the State of Emergency at Bluecliffs.
He said the river would not be able to get over the bar because of the height difference between the river side and sea side of the bar.
“The residents were promised the opening would be complete and they are very aware what a finished job means in terms of maybe only providing a few more months for any decisions about their future, but that time is invaluable to them.
“I met with everyone today and they are very unhappy it hasn’t been opened properly,” he said.
“I am going to keep the State of Emergency going and instruct Emergency Management Southland to finish the job.
“With the river flow increasing, and the heavy rainfall in Fiordland at the moment, the risk has actually increased to the residents, and without the protection that the relocated mouth would have provided, the rubbish site is also at heightened risk of ending up in the sea.
“The contractor must be allowed to go back on site and complete the job. I believe strongly that as a council, we have still got a community to protect, and a promise has been made to them to open the river out to the sea. That promise has to be met, even if it only works for a short time,” Scott said.
He wanted to make it clear the incompletion of the job was not a reflection on the contractors doing the job.
“Why they weren’t able to finish the job is the question I am asking.”
Meanwhile, the Government has announced a grant of $1.35 million to clean up the Bluecliffs landfill site, located near the homes on the coast.
Waste material was dumped at the site from the 1970s through to the 1980s, and fly tipping, including larger items such as electrical appliances, car parts and plastic crates, were also dumped there.
Environment Minister and Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds said the cleanup would address the risk of the site being breached by a natural weather event that could expose waste material and contaminate the surrounding land and waterways.