Whakatane/Ohope Township
All water for the Whakatane and Ohope Urban area is pumped from the Whakatane River, just upstream of Whakatane town. It is fully treated as it passes through the Water Treatment Plant at the southern end of Valley Road. Following the adopting of 10-year Development Plan in October 2000 renewal and capital works are being carried out to improve the water quality, operational efficiency and the condition of the plant.
Treated water is pumped to three reservoirs, sited on the hill above and to the east of the treatment station, which have a combined capacity of 8,000 cubic metres. Water from these reservoirs is reticulated to all the Whakatane and Ohope urban areas.
Reservoirs sited at the top of the Melville subdivision (115m³), Ngati Awa farm (2.300m³) and Kowhai Street (900m³), supply the higher areas of Whakatane and Ohope.
The installation of water meters for the entire Whakatane and Ohope urban area was substantially completed in June 1999 following an installation programme to meter all private connections to Council mains.
Statistics
- approximate present population: 14,400
- scheme designed to provide for 22,700
- design peak daily demand: 9,080 m³
- design peak flow (litres/second): 211
- number of pump stations: 4
- asset replacement value (1999): $17.2 m
- approximate number of connections: 5,800
Ohope
Statistics
- approximate present population:
- permanent: 3,100
- transient: 3,000
- design population
- permanent: 4,550
- transient: 5,000
- design peak daily demand: 2,790 m³
- design peak flow: (litres/second) 65
- asset replacement value (1999): $2.9 m
Edgecumbe
The town is part of the Plains Water Supply (see later section) which is designed to provide water to Edgecumbe township and a large rural area. Only extraordinary connections are metered.
Statistics
- approximate present population: 1,700
- design population: 3,000
- design peak daily demand: 1,200 m³
- design Peak flow (litres per second): 23
- asset replacement value (1999): $0.93 m
Matata
Installed in 1973, the Matata Supply is piped some 6 km from a source known as Jennings Spring in the Manawahe Hills west of Awakaponga. A pump station on the road between Edgecumbe and Matata supplies the 275cm³ reservoir located on the hill behind Matata and water is gravity fed to the town below. While water quality has been high without any treatment, since the 1987 earthquake, low level amounts of contamination are detected after heavy rains. This resulted in the Council installing a permanent treatment plant in 1995.
Statistics
- approximate present population: 650
- design population: 800
- design peak daily demand: 330 m³
- design Peak flow (litres per second): 6
- number of pump stations: 1
- asset replacement value (1999): $0.98 m
Taneatua
Installed in the mid-60s, the Scheme obtains water from a bore on the southern bank of the Waimana River, approximately 2 km from town. The water is chlorinated at this point and then pumped to a 227 cubic metre and a 500 cubic metre reservoir on the hills to the east of the township. Only extraordinary connections are metered.
Statistics
- approximate present population: 890
- esign population: 1,750
- design peak daily demand: 650 m³
- design Peak flow (litres per second): 20
- number of pump stations: 1
- asset replacement value (1999): $0.83 m
Plains Water Supply Scheme
This scheme is designed to supply Edgecumbe town and the rural area between the Tarawera and Whakatane Rivers extending from State Highway 30 in the south to the coast in the north. The supply source is a natural artesian spring of very high quality water adjacent to Braemar Road, close to the Tarawera River.
The water is pumped from the source to a 4,500 cm³ reservoir located above Braemar Road. The gravitational supply is then piped across the Tarawera River on a specially constructed bridge, to Edgecumbe and the rural area.
Following the 1987 earthquake, as an emergency reserve, the Council purchased two deep bores in the Otakiri area and built a pump station there using the spare Braemar pump. This now provides a boost in pressure during peak periods. Also during the emergency a link was made between Braemar and the Te Teko supply so that the latter area could also be supplied from the bores. The supply is fully metered except for Edgecumbe town which is bulk-metered.
During the 1995/96 year, the Council extended the supply to include the Awakeri area. A header tank is located above Awakeri and the supply area extends to the Whakatane Airport. The system operates as a low pressure (600 kPa maximum) supply.
Statistics (excluding Awakeri)
- rural area services (approx hectares): 10,000
- design peak daily demand: 5,000 m³
- design Peak flow (litres/second): 114
- total length of pipe (metres) (375mm-50mm): 130,000
Statistics—Awakeri Supply
- rural area services (hectares): 1,000
- dwellings: 230
- reservoir volume: 250 m³
- total length of pipe (metres): 90,000
- total asset replacement value (1999):(including Awakeri) $13.1m
Murupara Water Supply
The present artesian supply was developed in the early 1960s. The two wells were deepened in 1984 and now produce 70 litres per second collectively. Two Pulsometer pumps, each with a capacity of 28.4 litres per second, lift water from a stilling tank to the reservoir system which has a capacity of 1,500 cm³. There is an additional diesel-driven stand-by pump.
The water tends to be acidic, but is of high quality and requires no treatment. Only extra-ordinary connections are metered.
Statistics
- approximate present population: 2,100
- design population (1980 prediction 20 year): 3,600
- design peak daily demand: 3,000m³
- design Peak flow (litres/second): 65
- asset replacement value (1999): $1.89m
Waimana
Installed in 1980, this scheme was designed to service the Waimana township. The supply source is a shallow bore sunk in gravel near the town and is pumped to two 91m³ wood-stave reservoirs above the town before being reticulated throughout the town. A chlorinator plant was installed in 1989 when persistent low level contamination was detected from routine sampling. The supply is not metered.
Statistics
- approximate present population: 160
- design population: 274
- design peak daily demand: 137 m³
- design Peak flow (litres per second): 4
- number of pump stations: 1
- asset replacement value (1999): $0.25 m
Te Teko, Kokohinau, Mapou
The Te Teko scheme was installed by the Government in the 1950s to supply the township during the investigation stages of the Matahina Power Scheme. Water was drawn from a natural spring of similar quality to that of the Braemar Scheme. However, in 1995/96 the source was altered to a 16 metre deep bore at the same site. The supply is pumped to a 276 cm³ reservoir above the town which serves the whole town. It also supplies houses and marae on the first 3.5km of Edgecumbe Road and the Mapou village on the eastern side of the river. This scheme is now permanently linked to the Plains Supply and is fully metered.
Ruatoki
This scheme was reconstructed in 1990 as a fully metered supply designed for domestic use following the decommissioning of a supply developed in the late 1940s for farm use. It comprises an extraction site on the left bank of the Whakatane River south of Ruatoki and a high lift pump station. The water is chlorinated at this point.A service reservoir of 150m³ is located above Paekoa Road. As the area develops, plans have been made to provide an additional extraction gallery and treatment plant as well as three additional reservoirs strategically placed within the area. The scheme will ultimately provide water for a population of 1,800 persons.
Statistics
- design peak daily demand: 648m³
- minimum pressure (30 psi): 20 metres
- total length of pipe: 50km
- asset replacement value (1999): $1.39m
Te Mahoe
This scheme was constructed by the NZ Electricity Department to serve the hydro village, and the reservoirs and reticulation assets were handed over to the Council in 1990. The scheme serves Te Mahoe village with a population of approximately 60 households.
Ruatahuna
This is a small gravity supply which feeds the village and school. The source is a spring above the Mangaorongo Stream. The Council undertakes repairs at the request of consumers and is not responsible for regular maintenance of this scheme.
- present equivalent population: 60
Galatea
A small rural farm stock supply, suitable for drinking only after individual point-of-use treatment. This supply is maintained by the consumers.
- approximate number of connections: 45