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Auckland Anniversary Council Information

The WDC Customer Services and Visitor Hub, Waitomo District Library and Admin Building will be closed on on Monday 26 January for Auckland Anniversary. All waste transfer stations will also be closed.
We will still be available by phone on 0800 932 4357. More info

Weather Watch - High wave warning along coastline

A high wave warning is in place for our coastline this weekend. A strong westerly swell is expected from Saturday 24 January through to Sunday 25 January, with a swell event (high energy waves) and elevated water levels predicted.

This wave event is big, even for the west coast, with forecast swell over 5 metres and maximum wave height over 10 metres possible. The highest risk period is within 1-2 hours of high tide.

The next high tide for the coastline from Marokopa to Mōkau is around 2pm on Saturday. For Sunday, high tide is around 2.50pm.

Home Our Council News News and Media Releases 2020 March Media Release 31 March 2020 - Helpline set up to help struggling Waikato people

Media Release 31 March 2020 - Helpline set up to help struggling Waikato people

31 Mar 2020, 2:00 PM

Freephone 0800 800 405 has been established for Waikato people struggling to get food, groceries, medication or other household goods and services.

The freephone service established by the Waikato Civil Defence and Emergency Management Group is available between 7am and 7pm daily, but does not replace other government helplines already in operation.

“We’ve moved quickly to set up this helpline, which started operating today. We don’t know how big the need is right now, and the reality is that it’s likely to change while we’re under Alert Level 4,” said Waikato Region Civil Defence Group Controller, Julian Snowball.

“People who don’t need help right now may require assistance in a couple of weeks, and that’s where this freephone number will become more important when it comes to ensuring everyone has access to the basic necessities.”

Call centre staff will collect information which will enable local welfare teams to prioritise the needs of individuals and whānau during the self-isolation period, and then coordinate the necessary support.

These measures will particularly assist the disabled, at risk groups, and people without access to their own transport.

These services are intended for those facing hardship and are offered in addition to a range of other support measures provided by other agencies, particularly the Ministry of Social Development.

“There is already some extraordinary work being done by community support services, and we recognise that not everybody who requires help might be getting it.

“This will help to plug a gap to deliver support to those who need it most,” Mr Snowball said.

Being in lockdown makes us experience all sorts of things: anxiety, loneliness, fear. Need to talk? Free phone or text 1737.  

All health updates on COVID-19 or information on community-based assessment centres are managed by the Ministry of Health. Go to covid19.govt.nz for more information.

Media contact: 

Wendy Valois 
Public Information Manager 
Waikato Civil Defence and Emergency Management Group 
Ph 021 245 6410 

To view this release online: www.waikatocivildefence.govt.nz/media-releases  
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