Wairarapa water scheme 'viable', report says
The development of a proposed community wide water scheme for Wairarapa is viable and essential for the region’s future, says a new report.
With funding from the government’s Provincial Growth Fund, Wairarapa Water Ltd (WWL) commissioned Wellington-based consultants Lewis Tucker Ltd to provide an independent view on the proposed Wakamoekau Community Water Storage Scheme’s (WCWSS) commercial viability.
The Lewis Tucker Report updates earlier work by Greater Wellington Regional Council that looked at the Black Creek/Wakamoekau staged scheme, in the hills north-west of Masterton. The Report does not review environmental, cultural, social and economic impact which has been done recently by Greater Wellington Regional Council.
WWL took over the project from GWRC in June 2018 following completion of their investigations of water storage opportunities in the valley. WWL has since concentrated on the Wakamoekau site.
The Lewis Tucker Report peer reviews key aspects of the scheme. Based on confidence in both the underlying technical fundamentals of the proposed scheme and a positive resource consent pathway, and also clear evidence that there is demand for water, Lewis Tucker believe the WCWSS to be viable and state that there is a compelling case to advance the development of the scheme.
The Report notes that the status quo of Wairarapa’s water resources cannot be sustained, particularly given the increased demand for water due to climate change and environmental purposes.
Lewis Tucker’s findings align with the Wairarapa Economic Development Strategy’s position that resilient access to freshwater is the most significant and immediate priority for the region.
The proposed WCWSS is a small-scale scheme which will provide water to multiple users across the Wairarapa, including agricultural, environmental, industrial and urban. The Lewis Tucker Report recommends a 12 month program of work to reach a more accurate
conclusion before a decision can be made to apply for consents, engage with construction contractors and negotiate water supply agreements.
Wairarapa Water Ltd Chair Tim Lusk says the report is a substantial piece of work by an independent advisor and a panel of subject matter experts.
“The report’s findings validate the previous work by GWRC and have strengthened the case for further work to be done on the scheme.”
“WWL Board will now work with landowners, iwi, councils, water users, and other interested parties to plan and fund the next steps,” Mr Lusk says.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Light up your life
The Karen Walker Paints collection from Resene will see you sprucing up your home in style with this simple but fun project using your favourite Karen Walker testpot colours. Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step instructions.
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