Parts of Te Rā School off-limits because of ponding

Children by the footpath at the entrance to Te Ra School. Photo / David Haxton

Staff at Te Rā School, on the Kāpiti Coast, have been getting very good at traffic management recently courtesy of the extraordinary amount of winter rainfall.

The car park area has been reduced to a drop-off and pick-up zone as the school's main pedestrian footpath, which runs through it, has been underwater.

"We've been monitoring the car park very closely," school principal Kerstin Wagner said.

"We've been talking with the council to make sure we're doing the right things.

"Council has also offered to give us proper traffic training for the staff, and then we can train the students.

"It has been working well and the school community has been understanding."

Submerged footpath at Te Ra School entrance. Photo / David Haxton

It will cost the school about $2500 to restore the pedestrian access, which will happen by raising it with gravel.

The rain has created ponding in various parts of the school, which hasn't been an issue before.

One of the affected areas is under the school hall.

"If we get much more rain, we will have water in our hall," school executive officer Rhonda Huntley feared.

Water is also ponding under part of Te Rāwhiti Kindergarten, which fortunately had flooring insulation installed before the heavy rain.

Flooding under part of Te Rawhiti Kindergarten. Photo / David Haxton

"There's no rising damp or anything like that but we're not sure about any long-term damage to the buildings once the water finally drains away and dries up if it ever does.

"That's what we're concerned about at the moment."

Some green areas have been roped off because of ponding, the bike stand area is submerged, as is the garden.

Danger signs have been put up in various waterlogged areas of the state-integrated school.

The overall problem has been exacerbated because the water hasn't been able to drain away, which has been made worse because of peat areas.

Adding to the situation is water runoff from other owners' land, including from a hill as well as from a protected ecological area.

The school has commissioned a report about managing water for landowner Kāpiti Waldorf Trust and is getting a report from Kāpiti Coast District Council too.

A greenspace that has been cordoned off. Photo / David Haxton

A consultant from the council was expected to visit this week to "look at it and to get some ideas about what we can do". Huntley said.

But there doesn't seem to be a quick fix.

"Basically we need to be able to pump the water to somewhere, from our fields and stuff, but we have nowhere to pump it to because the water table is so high."

Wagner, who has been with the school for 20 years starting off as a teacher, said she had never had to wear gumboots to school.

She said she had heard underground water levels had risen on the coast in recent years.

Despite the challenges, the school is fully operational, with sunny days particularly enjoyable.