We've been working to improve the capability and effectiveness of the stormwater infrastructure in the Hinemoa Street area. The old Hinemoa Street pump station (which was situated in the road reserve on Hinemoa Street) was insufficiently sized for the 139 hectare catchment it services. The new pump station at Henderson Street is now fully operational.
What's happening?
We're relocating and upgrading the Hinemoa Street pump station, alongside installing new stormwater pipes on Armstrong Ave and Henderson Street. The new design will provide robust protection, even during a one in fifty-year local rainfall event, offering much-needed security for residents. Because of restricted space at the original pump station site, it was necessary to find a new location that offered a larger area. The new Henderson Street pump station is being constructed at the back of James Street School field.
Why the upgrade?
As we experience more frequent heavy rainfall events, we must ensure our stormwater management systems are fit-for-purpose too. The original Hinemoa Street stormwater pump station, while once sufficient, now falls short of modern standards, especially with the increasing intensity of rainfall events. This poses a flooding risk to lower-lying properties, requiring this upgrade to ensure future resilience.
When are we doing the work?
Construction, led by Waiotahi Contractors Ltd is now complete and fully operational as of March 2026.
New Henderson St Pump Station now operational
Update: 1 April 2026
The upgraded Henderson Street stormwater pump station is now complete and delivering stronger protection during heavy rain, following its successful operation during last week’s storm event.
The completion of the Henderson Street stormwater improvements marks an important milestone for flood protection in the area, with the new pump station already demonstrating its ability to perform under challenging weather conditions.
The original Hinemoa Street pump station was no longer large enough to manage the substantial catchment it serves. To future‑proof the stormwater network, the new Henderson Street pump station has been built at a larger site behind James Street School and upgraded to meet modern stormwater standards.
The new Henderson Street station provides significantly greater capacity and resilience, offering strong protection even during rainfall events equivalent to a one in fifty‑year storm.
As part of the final stages of the project, the pump station was operated during a real wet weather event and the operational levels were programmed. Last week’s storm provided the opportunity to confirm the system was working as designed and to complete final adjustments.
The upgraded pump station provides greater protection for homes during heavy rain and supports better outcomes for local waterways by managing stormwater more effectively.
The project also included major stormwater pipe upgrades along Armstrong Avenue and Henderson Street. These improvements help move stormwater more efficiently through the network before it is safely discharged to the Whakatāne River. The works involved excavation through the stopbank and the installation of three large pipes to convey stormwater from the pump station to the river.
Construction was led by Waiotahi Contractors Ltd and funded through the Council’s annual plan, with a total project budget of $6.8 million.
With the new Henderson Street pump station now fully operational, the old Hinemoa Street pump station will be decommissioned during the July school holidays. At the same time, work will begin to create an additional stormwater channel in the reserve at the corner of Hinemoa Street and Victoria Avenue.
This new channel will help offset the new pump station while also enhancing ecological habitat within the reserve.
Whakatāne District Council thanks nearby residents and the James Street School community for their patience and support while this important project was completed.
Have a question?
For any project queries, concerns or complaints please call our customer services team 24/7 on 07 306 0500, or email info@whakatane.govt.nz for non-urgent matters.
More information
- Media release - 28 January 2025
Whakatāne District Council is continuing its efforts to improve stormwater infrastructure in the Hinemoa Street area with a significant pump station upgrade well underway.
Read the full release »
- Works update - 28 August 2025
Mahi is underway to strengthen stormwater protection in the Hinemoa and Henderson Street areas where we are building a new stormwater pump station near James Street School.
Work over the last few weeks has included installation of tall metal sheet piles to keep the water out of the construction zone, renewing the concrete wall at the river outlet with inclusion of a fish-friendly flap, and placing a special liner inside the gravity stormwater pipe.
This new pump station will provide greater protection for homes during heavy rain events and support better outcomes for our local waterways.
The river walkway is closed for safety and is expected to reopen once works finish on Friday 29 August. We appreciate your patience while we complete this important mahi.
- Works update - 2 October 2025
Pumping through the mahi at Hinemoa Stormwater Pump Station:
Site works are continuing this week as part of the next phase of the pump station build.
All going to plan, the new pump station should be up and running by mid-November.The original pump station on Hinemoa St wasn’t big enough to handle the 139-hectare catchment it serves, so we’re relocating and upgrading it to a larger site behind James St School. The new design will offer stronger protection - even during a one in fifty-year rainfall event.
As for the old pump station, we’ll wait until the new one has been fully tested, ideally through a rain event, before we start dismantling it.
At the same time as the decommissioning of the old pump station, we’ll also kick off works to create an additional channel in the reserve at the corner of Hinemoa St and Victoria Ave. This will both offset the new pump station and provide enhanced ecological habitat.
