Waitomo District's water quality improved with Three Waters upgrades

30 August 2022

The Waitomo District Council’s three waters infrastructure including water treatment plants have been upgraded with $3.5 million in Government funding.

The council’s general manager for infrastructure services, Shyamal Ram said $3.5 million in Three Waters Stimulus funding enabled 22 projects which focused on improving resilience, reducing interruption of supply and reducing maintenance costs of the water network.

The projects were achieved by local contractors, and a large portion of the funding was spent in Mōkau upgrading the water treatment plant and installing new pipes.

“An upgrade was necessary to improve the performance of the filtration unit, increase operational resilience and provide on-line monitoring and reporting, which is required for drinking water compliance and ultimately resulting in better water quality for Mōkau residents,” said Shyamal.

Another major project included the installation of backflow preventers throughout the district, protecting the entire public water supply from chemical and bacterial contamination.

All water treatment plants – Te Kūiti, Mōkau, Maniaiti/Benneydale and Piopio received upgrades, including back up equipment such as generators which help keep operations running 24/7. Funding also went towards the duplication of water monitoring systems to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

The council says they will continue to invest in maintenance and renewal upgrades as part of the Annual Plan and Long-Term Plan workstreams. The council’s staff were praised for their dedication to the stimulus funding projects, especially in light of the recent year’s pressures.

Mayor John Robertson said the projects have been “a great achievement for our district.”

The funding for the projects was provided as part of the Government’s $523 million Three Waters Stimulus funding package.

Mōkau water infrastructure upgrades. Image supplied by the Waitomo District Council.