Source: Whangarei District Council
Updated: 22/04/2020 4:02 p.m.
Council’s Water Services department is looking forward to the lifting of the Covid-19 Lockdown so work can start again on major water projects.
“As soon as manufacturers and contractors can start work again safely we can resume work on the new water treatment plant at Whau Valley, and continue on stage two of a bigger pipeline from the Hatea River,” said Water Services Manager Andrew Venmore.
“The wide polyethylene pipe is made in New Zealand. The Covid Lockdown put a stop to manufacturing, but we hope that it will start up again as the Covid-19 response level drops.
“Half of the old pipeline was replaced several years ago and this new section will complete the upgrade all the way from the pump station on the Hatea River.
“When it is installed we will be able to take more water from the Hatea River than we do at the moment, and that will help give the dam time to recover.”
Mr Venmore said the Whau Valley dam was sitting at 46% full, which is worrying given the number of months left in winter to get it back up to a good level for summer.
“Our water restrictions are now at level three, so no-one should be using a hose any more. There has been a little bit of rain – enough to water gardens, but not enough to lift river, dam and aquifer levels. It is possible that we might get a bit more of a drop in use as people gradually return to their workplaces, but we are not out of the woods by any means, and people need to keep conserving as much water as they can.”
