Multi-million dollar investment planned for water infrastructure
5 December 2011
Waipa District Council is planning to make a multi-million dollar investment into its water infrastructure over the next 10 years, which will include the building of new reservoirs in both Te Awamutu and Cambridge.
A number of projects have been earmarked to be included in the 10-year plan which will be released for public consultation in March.
Subject to approval by the council, these will include:
District Wide
Years 1-10 - Water conservation options (such as water meters)
Years 1-3 - Leak detection, pipe condition assessments programmes
Years 1-10 - Trunk-main and main renewals
Years 1 - 10 - Drinking water compliance to meet New Zealand Drinking Water standards
Years 1-10 - Developing water demand and drought management plans for each water supply area (Te Awamutu completed)
Te Awamutu
Year 1 - Investigation on supplementary supply to meet future growth (including off-peak water harvesting)
Years 1-2 - New treated water reservoir to balance peak demand
Years 3-7 - Renewal of Te Tahi - Papesch Trunk main (Frontier Road already completed)
Years 5 - Additional trunk main to Greenhill Reservoirs from Factory Road.
Recommendations from the supplementary supply investigations will be programmed into the 2015-2025 Long Term Plan.
Cambridge
Years 1-2 - New treatment plant at Hicks Road
Years 2-4 - New treated water reservoir to balance peak demand
Years 5 - Renewal of final Stage of trunk main from Karapiro to Leamington
Pukerimu
Years 8-9 - New treated water reservoir
However, it is unlikely that the district will see water restrictions disappear.
The reason water restrictions are in place is that demand increases sharply over the summer period and we have to ensure we protect this valuable resource and manage demand, said Mrs Kendrick.
The district was supplied its water from waterways, such as the Manauika Stream on Mount Pirongia and the Waikato River, and as such the council needed resource consents from Waikato Regional Council.
Waipa District Council is committed to using water sustainably and to align with its Environment Strategy which states as part of providing for sustainable communities, that water is conserved and used wisely, said Mrs Kendrick.
In recent years there has been an increased focus on water sustainability at both a national and regional level and it is necessary that all of us play a role to reduce the amount of water we use in the summer, she said.
We are required by the terms of our resource consent to leave enough water in the rivers and streams for animal and plant life to survive.
The council had included a number of initiatives to aid water conservation and was developing water demand management plans for its services.
Already parks and reserves staff had implemented a number of programs to reduce water consumption. Garden staff were undertaking soil moisture testing prior to watering to determine levels and appropriate watering time and hand hosing had increased.
Mrs Kendrick said it was important to note that the restrictions did not mean people could not water their gardens.
At this stage we are just asking for sprinkler use to be limited to four hours a day (between 6-8am and 6-8pm) to help ensure water supply balances demand during drier conditions and periods of high use, she said.
Our neighbouring council's will also be introducing restrictions as required.
