A more resilient water supply is on the way for the growing town of Kihikihi, following a successful tender appointment.
Local supplier, Waipā Civil Limited, was the successful applicant and will begin constructing the new pipeline installation this month. The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Waipā District Council Group Manager Service Delivery, Dawn Inglis said the $1.3 million upgrade is part of the Council’s commitment to providing a safe, resilient supply to the community.
“Kihikihi village is growing at a rapid rate so this supplementary water supply from Te Awamutu will help to provide more security for our residents, particularly during those summer months when water supplies tend to deplete,” Ms Inglis said.
She said Council had received funding for the pipeline upgrade as part of the district’s ‘Tranche One’ support package from central government which Waipā received following a decision to opt-in to Three Waters Reform discussions.
“By opting into Three Waters Reform discussions, we received $6.82 million to upgrade our existing water assets. This enabled us to bring forward a number of network upgrades which would otherwise have been paid for by ratepayers.”
“The alternative water supply for Kihikihi is one of those upgrades.”
Ms Inglis said Council would remain committed to investing in the district’s water network assets throughout the reform discussions regardless of what the final outcome would be.
“We remain fully committed to providing a safe, secure drinking supply for our residents that will be futureproofed as we grow,” she said.
The Kihikihi alternative water supply pipeline will be installed between Park Road, Te Awamutu, down Golf Road and Flat Road, terminating at Grey Street in Kihikihi where it will provide a supplementary feed from Te Awamutu to Kihikihi’s water reservoir which currently services the town’s water demand.
Up until now, the town has been fully serviced by two bores on Hall and Church streets in Kihikihi.
Council is in the final commissioning stages of the newly upgraded Parallel Road Water Treatment Plant, which will bring water to Te Awamutu and Pirongia from the Waikato River. The plant has sufficient treatment capacity to provide for both the Te Awamutu and Kihikihi needs into the foreseeable future and was blessed by local kaumatua in June.
Learn more about the Kihikihi water supply project at waipadc.govt.nz/kihikihiwater.
