Plans for a water storage facility to support the natural environment and economic prosperity of the Heretaunga Plains, including Napier and Hastings, will move into a full feasibility phase.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) has confirmed a preferred location for a 27 million cubic metre (mm3) water storage facility near Whanawhana. The costs of feasibility will be shared with central government.

The proposed reservoir would be located on a small tributory off the Ngaruroro River. Peak winter flows would be stored for release back into the the lowland river and stream network during dry summer months, to recharge the aquifer and offset water extraction.

The Ngaruroro catchment contributes to the recharge of the Heretaunga Plains aquifer that supports the region’s horticulture and viticulture industries, along with water for Hawke’s Bay’s two main cities, Napier and Hastings, including its households and industries.

The facility would supplement river and lowland stream flows for environmental purposes, enable existing water use which is increasingly constrained, deliver new water to help adapt to a changing climate, and enable growth across the world-class, fertile soils of the Heretaunga Plains. The water would provide for increasing population and housing, new jobs and industries, and a growing, thriving economy.

The facility would increase water security in the context of changing weather patterns. A core commercial principle of the proposal is that any development of a water storage facility would need to be funded by those who benefit most from the stored water.

Chair of HBRC, Hinewai Ormsby, said the future of Hawke’s Bay’s economy depended upon water security, and the ability to access new freshwater supplies. This was becoming a challenge as the climate changes, representing increasing risk to the people of Hawke’s Bay and its environment and economy.

“As part of our ongoing Water Security Programme, HBRC is focused on how we can better protect our waterways while supporting the future of our economy. There is now a vital role for carefully designed water storage at the right scale and in the right location and, despite the work being impacted by both Covid-19 and the Cyclone Gabrielle recovery, we are now ready for a full feasibility phase for the Whanawhana site.

“Water storage must be one part of a multi-faceted approach, including a constant commitment to maximising efficiency and water conservation. However, this project has the potential to be transformational, unlocking significant productivity gains, improving environmental outcomes, and providing water security for all people of Heretaunga,” she said.

“There is now greater appreciation of the importance of resilience and the role of infrastructure in responding to climate change. Well-developed, responsible water storage projects will need to be part of our future, alongside continued discipline in demand efficiency and other potential supply initiatives.”

Hinewai Ormsby said the move to full feasibility would see changes in project governance to ensure independence and the right commercial skills and experience.

“To ensure a robust feasibility assessment, with a strong focus on commercial viability, we will begin to transition project governance to a new entity.”

The new governance entity will bring together iwi and mana whenua partners, irrigators, representatives of commercial and municipal water users and community stakeholders to lead the project with a strong development focus.”

Hinewai Ormsby said consultation will occur only when a decision to seek resource consents is made, which would be at successful conclusion of the feasibility phase.

Partners welcome next steps

Mayor of Heretaunga Hastings, Sandra Hazlehurst, said ensuring we have the certainty of water supply is critical for both economic and social wellbeing in Hastings and wider Hawke’s Bay.

“Water is our lifeblood and the key to our future prosperity, both for the growth in municipal supplies for our urban residents and access to rural supplies for our primary industries.

“We know the impacts of a changing climate, bringing both devastating droughts and large rain events like Cyclone Gabrielle. We are excited to understand the opportunity of this new water storage infrastructure project and its contribution to water security for our district's future.”

A spokesperson for a group of major irrigators on the Heretaunga Plains, Greig Taylor, said water storage for the Heretaunga region was now essential for continued production, to lift productivity, and as an insurance policy for Hawke’s Bay’s economy.

“The Heretaunga Plains are some of the greatest growing soils in the world and the economic engine of Hawke’s Bay. Water storage is a very important part of a range of solutions we must continue to implement, but the growers of Heretaunga strongly support the development of a local water storage facility to help ensure reliable supply,” said Greig Taylor.

Bayden Barber, Chair of Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorprated, said he supported the feasibility phase.

It is paramount that mana whenua and Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi is engaged from the outset of any water storage project within our rohe, kia tika ai ngā mahi hei oranga mō te wai, hei oranga hoki mō ngā whānau.

“We will work with partners in the project to ensure it delivers for our taiao, the health of our awa, and the taonga that live within them, and for a thriving, prosperous Māori economy that delivers for our people into the future,” said Bayden Barber.

Acting Mayor of Napier, Annette Brosnan, welcomed further investigations.

“Water security is critical for the future of Napier and its people. We welcome investigations into the development of responsible water storage to support the city of Napier and look forward to the completion of the feasibility phase.”

The feasibility phase of the Heretaunga Water Storage Facility will commence immediately. The feasibility phase is supported with a 2020 loan from the Provincial Growth Fund and is budgeted for in HBRC’s long-term plan.

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