Carterton District Council [CDC] will soon welcome four million more litres of water storage, with two new reservoirs boosting our community’s resilience.
CDC’s water team and partners completed final testing on the pair of 2 million litre water tanks, ahead of their implementation.
The council received funding from the Three Waters Stimulus for the construction of the towers.
Further investment by Council in the nearby Frederick St water treatment plant will ensure the stored water continues to meet the new national standards, now monitored by the new Taumata Arowai agency.
Hon. Ron Mark, Mayor of Carterton, said the additional storage and new technologies were a further step forward for our District’s water security.
“Bringing these tanks into the network, complemented by the upgrades at the treatment plant, enhances and strengthens our network.
“Irrespective of the future of water services in Carterton, we are working hard to ensure everyone on our water network receives the best, most resilient service possible.
“We want to drive community resilience through our long-term plan and see water security as central to that.”
As with all infrastructure projects, this was a complex project, conducted during challenging times through the Covid-19 lockdowns and the associated supply chain issues.
Geoff Hamilton, Chief Executive of Carterton District Council, said reaching the point of deployment is a success for all concerned and a positive outcome for the community.
“We have many people and organisations to thank for reaching this landmark. Our partners on these projects include Rakaia Engineering Ltd, the Department of Internal Affairs, and Max Tarr.
Mr. Hamilton said the new storage will boost community resilience, but it is also essential Carterton’s households and businesses continue to be prudent about their water use.
The resource consent obligations on our water take mean our District’s daily limits of 2500 cubic meters per day remain in place.
“Creating this extra resilience augments work across Wairarapa’s Districts to improve our water security,” Mr. Hamilton said.
“CDC considers water security one of our biggest challenges, and opportunities, over the next few years. Regardless of the future of water services in Carterton, we are determined to provide the best possible outcome for our community. Water resilience for households, businesses, and the community is paramount.”
One of the ways households can create their own water security is by using a rainwater tank.
There is still an opportunity for gold card or community service card holders to win a free domestic water tank through the CDC’s Free Water Tanks promotion.
Carterton has more than 3,500 people eligible to enter the competition, and the chance to help them improve their own resilience is welcome.
“We want to see as many people as possible in the community reach a level of water security, and the water tanks promotion has already helped with that goal,” Mr Hamilton said.
“The competition remains open until the end of January, so please do take it. Drop in and see us at 28 Holloway St or go online at cdc.govt.nz/freewatertanks to find out more.”
Visit our Water section for more water-saving advice and information about your water, and Carterton’s water network.