Council's planned investments in water to 2034

Last year we let you know Council had water projects totalling $464,620,000 to get done between 2024 and 2034. We knew that wasn't affordable, so set to work on prioritising and deferring work where possible. As a result, we're investing around $206,311,000 in water infrastructure between 2024 and 2034.

This includes the $17,426,000 for 2024/25 Enhanced Annual Plan and the Draft LTP’s projected $188,885,000 from 2025/26 to 2033/34.

However, the deferred $258,309,000 will still need to be delivered after 2034.

:This is just infrastructure and does not include the cost of running the water network.

:Unlike roads, no water infrastructure is paid for by Central Government.

:Water charges are how things are paid for. Either via loans for big things that can be paid off over time, or by depreciation reserves – money put aside to replace assets.

But what’s in there? Well, there’s a handy list linked at the bottom, but here’s some of the big-ticket stuff – as in, costs over a million dollars, that's coming up in the next nine years.

Stormwater

$10 million for Oamaru Stormwater Mains upgrades
$2.185 million for District Wide Stormwater Main renewals
$1.35 million for Stormwater Main Inspection and Cleaning (to make them last longer)

Total: $13,535,000

Wastewater

$20 million for Relocating/Renewal of the Orwell Street Wastewater Pump Station
$20 million for a new rising Wastewater Main in Oamaru
$17.6 million replacing Oamaru Wastewater Mains
$4.5 million for renewing Palmerston Wastewater Mains
$3.2 million to implement Tradewaste Bylaw to reduce load on wastewater treatment plants
$3 million for the Beach Road Catchment Upgrade
$2.75 million on Wastewater Inflow and Infiltration Programme
$2.6 million for desludging Oxidation Ponds across the District
$2.5 million for Duntroon Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade
$2.25 million for Sewer Main Inspection and Cleaning (to make them last longer)
$2 million for capacity improvements across Oamaru Creek to avoid Tees St overflows
$2 million to bring Oamaru Wastewater Treatment Plant into Compliance
$2 million for Wastewater Overflow in Oamaru
$1.82 million for District Wide Urban Wastewater Main Renewals
$1.7 million in Wastewater Facilities Renewal
$1.4 million for disposal of desludged biomass from Omarama and Palmerston treatment plants
$1.4 million renewing Wastewater Pump Stations
$1.065 million for the Kurow Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade

Total: $91,760,000

Drinking Water

$12 million Oamaru Water Strategy Source Resilience
$9.96 million Oamaru Urban Water Main Renewals
$8 million Universal Water Metering
$6.1 million on upgrading Oamaru North falling water main
$4.15 million Oamaru Water Strategy Phase 1, 2 and 3
$3.2 million Water Main Upgrades to current private supplies up Valley, Waitaki Bridge, Moeraki Kaiks
$2.5 million Kurow Water Supply Compliance and Resilience
$2.34 million Oamaru Rural Water Main Renewals
$2.25 million on Leak Detection
$2.25 million Rural Water Mains Renewals
$2 million Waihemo Urban and Rural Water Main Upgrades
$1.6 million Urban Water Main Renewals – Valley Townships
$1.6 million on assessing all drinking water infrastructure across the District
$1.4 million on Oamaru Water Treatment Plant renewals
$1.35 million on a backflow prevention plan
$1.35 million Water Restrictor Check programme
$1.3 million Oamaru Water facilities renewals

Total: $63,350,000

There are also additional smaller projects totalling $20.25 million, with a total of 88 projects in the Draft Long Term Plan. That brings the total to $188,895,000.

You can find them all, here, on Page 7 - 10: https://www.letstalk.waitaki.govt.nz/.../documents/302504