Whakatane Water Supply
Find out more about Whakatane District's Water Supply system.
Whakatane Township
All water for the Whakatane Urban area is pumped from the Whakatane River, just upstream of the town. It is fully treated as it passes through the Water Treatment Plant at the southern end of Valley Road. A ten-year Milestone Development Plan has been developed and was adopted in October 2000. Renewal and capital works are being carried out to improve the water quality, operational efficiency and the condition/integrity of the plant. Treated water is pumped to three reservoirs, sited on a 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 urban area and to the "Whakatane West" rural area. Small reservoirs of 115 cubic metre capacity sited at the top of the Melville subdivision, and the 2,300 cubic metre Ngati Awa reservoir, supply the higher areas of Whakatane. (See also Ohope.)
The installation of water meters for the entire Whakatane 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
The scheme supplies all of the Ohope area and Otarawairere. Water is pumped from the Valley Road reservoirs above the Whakatane Treatment Plant via a booster pump station sited at the top of Mokorua Gorge, thence to the 2,300 cubic metre Ngati Awa reservoir sited at the top of the Ohope Hill, before being reticulated to Ohope. Additional reservoirs above Kowhai Street boost flows to the Port Ohope area. Ohope is a fully metered supply.
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
Otarawairere
A pump station adjacent to the Ngati Awa Reservoir supplies water to the Otarawairere reservoir from where it is gravity-fed to the settlement houses. One pumping station is involved. This scheme is now operated as part of the Whakatane Supply and is fully metered.
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 delivers the supply to a 275 cubic metre reservoir sited on the hill behind Matata where it flows by gravity to the town below. Water quality has been high with no treatment. However, since the 1987 earthquake, low level amounts of contamination at the spring after heavy rain have led to the Council installing chlorination equipment on the supply. Since the contamination levels were high and persistent, the Council installed a permanent treatment plant in 1995. Only extraordinary connections are metered.
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
• Design 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 cubic metre reservoir sited above Braemar Road. The gravitational supply is then piped across the Tarawera River on a specially constructed bridge, thence to Edgecumbe and the rural area in pipes varying in diameter according to the rural farming needs.
Subsequent to 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 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 per second): 114
• Total length of pipe (metres) (375 mm-50 mm): 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. Previously water was pumped from the Rangitaiki River. 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 cubic metres. 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: 3,000 m³
• Design Peak flow (litres per second): 65
• Asset replacement value (1999): $1.89 m
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 91 cubic metre 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 Ministry of Works and Development 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 cubic metre reservoir above the town. This reservoir serves the whole town. The scheme also supplies houses and marae on the first 3.5 kilometres 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 re-constructed 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 150 cubic metres is sited 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: 648 m³
• Minimum pressure (30 psi): 20 metres
• Total length of pipe: 50 km
• Asset replacement value (1999): $1.39 m
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 Council in 1990. The bore and pump were owned and operated by Electricorp, which later became ECNZ. In March 1999, ECNZ was abolished and its residual assets were transferred to Mighty River Power Company Limited.
• Approximate present population: 60
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 does not maintain regular maintenance services on this supply.
• 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
For more information about the District water issues contact the Operations Business Unit on 07 307 1700 or email: Ian.Molony@whakatane.govt.nz
