Awarua Alternate Water Supply
Why is Invercargill City Council carrying out this work?
Invercargill is the only city of comparable size in New Zealand that does not currently have an alternate water supply source available. If our existing water supply (the Ōreti River/Branxholme Water Treatment Plant) is disrupted, our community has just a few days’ worth of emergency water supply.
Where does Council hope to establish an alternate water supply?
Council has identified a site in the Awarua Siding Rd/Colyer Road area, near a known underground aquifer.
Where does our water come from now?
Every day, our community uses about 23,000 cubic metres of water, drawn from the Ōreti River at the Branxholme Treatment Plant. But we’ve only got capacity to store about 65,000 cubic metres of water in reserve. That means if our existing water supply is disrupted – through a natural disaster, contamination, or system failure – there’s enough water in storage to last our community just a handful of days.
Once the Awarua project is completed, is that where our city’s water supply will come from?
No – Invercargill and Bluff’s primary water source will continue to be the Ōreti River. Establishing an alternate water supply source will serve as our community’s Plan B.
What stage is the project in?
Work to determine the most feasible and cost-effective alternate water supply source has been ongoing for many years. Early investigative work looked at lots of different options, and the site at Awarua was chosen as it was the most feasible, cost-effective option to give our community the capacity of water it might need at an alternative supply source. Technical investigative work on-site – including the installation of the first exploration wells – began in 2021.
How long will the project take?
This project is a substantial one, and a huge amount of long-term data needs to be collected to ensure we get things right for our community. Work will continue for several years. Physical investigative work began in 2021.
The next stage will begin with pump testing and analysis of the aquifer, which will take place between 2027 and 2029. By mid-2030, Council will have gathered an adequate amount of data to see if this site has the capacity it needs to become an alternate water supply source for Invercargill and Bluff. If the investigative work undertaken determines that the Awarua location is feasible, our community would have an emergency water supply available to it by year three of the project.
How much will it cost, and how will it be funded?
Council budgeted a total of $61 million for this project in its Long-Term Plan 2024-2034. This cost will be funded through Council borrowing, and repaid via rates over a 30-year period.
Has Council looked at other alternate water sources?
Previous investigative work to establish an alternate water supply has considered multiple options (including drawing from the Mataura River or Lake Hauroko). The Awarua site has been selected as the most feasible and cost-effective option for our community.
What about environmental and cultural considerations?
Extensive investigation is required to confirm the water supply available at this site, and develop a deeper understanding of the long-term impacts establishing an alternate water supply source at this location might have. Council will also continue to engage with mana whenua and Te Ao Mārama (TAMI) as the project progresses, to ensure it upholds its obligations to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
