Wairarapa water group founded

Pictured last year at a water project summit was, from left, Sir Graeme Harrison, Masterton district councillor David Holmes, Bob Tosswill, and Wairarapa Region Irrigation Trust chairman Bob Francis.

A new governance group has been established to oversee a major investigation into increasing the supply and reliability of water in Wairarapa.

The Wairarapa Water Use Project (WWUP) is investigating the viability of one or more multi-purpose water schemes that would collect and store water, then distribute it for a variety of economic and community uses in an environmentally sustainable way.

Chaired by former Masterton mayor Bob Francis, a long-time advocate of water storage, the group will be an advisory body to project sponsor Greater Wellington Regional Council, which appointed it last week.

The governance group will oversee the project's next phase of work, pre-feasibility, which aims to identify one or more of the most favourable schemes that could undergo a more detailed full-feasibility study beginning in 2015. Five possible water storage sites have been selected for priority investigation and three others identified as reserve options.

Mr Francis said the pre-feasibility work demanded deeper investigations and a more complex arrangement of work, spanning commercial, economic, environmental, cultural, technical and social aspects, along with extensive stakeholder engagement.

"The project's increased complexity and pace requires a focused and inquiring governance function, as does its funding partner, the Government's Irrigation Acceleration Fund," he said.

The group's other members are Greater Wellington Regional Council chair Fran Wilde, WWUP Stakeholder Advisory Group independent chair Jim Lynch, Wairarapa Regional Irrigation Trust chair Bob Tosswill, Rangitane o Wairarapa chief executive Jason Kerehi, and environmental advocate Mandy Armstrong.

Mr Francis said previous involvement with the project by all members would ensure continuity and momentum were maintained. The project's leadership group, made up of leaders in the regional economy and whose organisations are important stakeholders, will continue to provide ongoing guidance.