Celebrating the announcement of funding to protect the Waipawa Water Treatment Plant are (from left) Laura Kele, deputy chairwoman of Tamatea Pokai Whenua, Central Hawke’s Bay District Mayor Alex Walker, MP for Wairarapa and Minister of Local Government Kieran McAnulty, Three Waters operations manager Alex Horne, Veolia treatment team lead Natalie van Leeuwen, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Tukituki MP Anna Lorck. Photo / Paul Taylor
Celebrating the announcement of funding to protect the Waipawa Water Treatment Plant are (from left) Laura Kele, deputy chairwoman of Tamatea Pokai Whenua, Central Hawke’s Bay District Mayor Alex Walker, MP for Wairarapa and Minister of Local Government Kieran McAnulty, Three Waters operations manager Alex Horne, Veolia treatment team lead Natalie van Leeuwen, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Tukituki MP Anna Lorck. Photo / Paul Taylor
A farmer who assisted when the Waipawa Water Treatment Plant on Tikokino Rd succumbed to Cyclone Gabrielle’s floodwaters was on site in far drier conditions last week, listening to Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announce funding to help protect the plant.
Standing in front of the treatment plant, on dusty shingle in blazing sunshine, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced the Government would give $2.5 million to replace and upgrade the nearby stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant.
Welcoming the Prime Minster - and the announcement - Central Hawke’s Bay Mayor Alex Walker pointed out that “where you are standing, the floodwaters were at head height”.
Pam Waldrom took this photo as Cyclone Gabrielle’s floodwaters rose up the walls of the Waipawa Water Treatment Plant. “It went even higher than this,” she said.
“There was a tide mark, 80 per cent of the way up the the building. As the water rose, our treatment plant team ran for their lives.”
The flooding brought the treatment plant to a halt, cutting the water supply to about 3200 people in Waipawa and Otāne, many of whom were suffering flooding on their own properties.
As soon as the water receded, the Veolia treatment team had all staff on the ground, working around the clock to restore the supply, in mud that was halfway up the doors of the plant.
With a digger to clear the mud, and a pump sourced from Hamilton, the water supply was back on in three weeks, but it was untreated and a boil water notice remained in place for another three weeks.
The whole rebuild took six weeks - 1200 hours - with a huge collaboration from the council and partners required to stabilise the supply.
Veolia treatment team lead Natalie van Leeuwen and Three Waters operations manager Alex Horne explain the events of Cyclone Gabrielle to Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. Photo / Paul Taylor
Wairarapa MP and Hawke’s Bay Regional lead recovery Minister Kieran McAnulty, said “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed.
“It’s been my role to listen to what the community needs and to advocate strongly for it. I know this is a top priority project for the region and will protect the supply of safe drinking water for approximately 3200 people.
“This funding will allow urgent remediation and give locals confidence in a continuous supply of safe drinking water to the townships of Waipawa and Otane”.
The funding will cover the cost of replacing and upgrading the stopbank near the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant which was destroyed during Cyclone Gabrielle and left the plant vulnerable to flooding and the community to a boil-water notice in heavy rain.
McAnulty said: “The protection of this water treatment plant is also part of a broader resilience project that will connect to the nearby township of Waipukurau, which is over 4700 people. We want communities to feel confident that their drinking water supply is being protected the best it can be without being faced with huge rate increases.
Ian and Pam Waldrom discuss the impact of the cyclone on the treatment plant and on their farm, with (from left) MP Kieran McAnulty, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and MP Anna Lorck. Photo / Paul Taylor
“I previously met with staff at Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant who told me of the tremendous hours they worked after the cyclone to get safe drinking water back for their communities.
“I’m stoked we are able to provide 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 time-frame.
“This is a great example of central and local government working together for the good of the regions,” said Kieran McAnulty.
Neighbouring farmer Ian Waldrom was happy to hear the announcement.
He and his father farmed 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”.
Mayor 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 longer-term benefits for a project we have under way to secure a second supply for 4700 people in Waipukurau.
Tukituki MP Anna Lorck and Three Waters operations manager Alex Horne with Prime Minster Chris Hipkins inside the Waipawa Water Treatment Plant. Photo / Paul Taylor
”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.
