Carterton District Council has reached another major milestone in the development of the Waingawa Water Storage Project, with the successful purchase of land for the future reservoir site.
The 42-hectare parcel of land, located at 247 Norfolk Road in the Waingawa area, has been acquired for $3.25million, and will form the foundation of a strategic piece of infrastructure designed to boost water resilience and unlock economic potential across Wairarapa.
“This is a critical step in turning our vision into reality,” said Mayor Hon Ron Mark.
“Securing the site gives us the certainty we need to move forward with detailed design and consenting, and brings us closer to delivering a project that will benefit our district and the wider region for generations to come.”
“With support from central government, iwi, and regional stakeholders, Carterton is transforming long-held aspirations into critical infrastructure that can be duplicated to serve not only our district, but the wider Wairarapa and Wellington region.”
This project is designed to support water-intensive industries in the Waingawa Industrial Area, enable higher-value agricultural production, and improve the region’s resilience to drought and climate variability. The reservoir will initially store up between 500,000 and 1 million cubic metres of water, with the potential to expand further in future stages.
In June, Council secured $20 million in loan funding from the Government’s Regional Infrastructure Fund to support the project — including $3 million for design, consenting, and engagement, and a further $17 million for construction once a delivery model is confirmed.
Further updates on the project timeline and community engagement opportunities will be shared in the coming months.