A project to improve parts of the Te Kūiti stormwater network will kickstart next month.

General Manager Infrastructure Services, Shyamal Ram says the work being undertaken will help alleviate the impact of future weather events and provide greater insight into what is causing potential weak spots in the network.

“Most of the stormwater network in Te Kūiti is designed for a two-year storm event, and while the network can cope fairly well in parts of
Te Kūiti, the western area has been identified for improvements.

Work includes upgrading and adding in new double roading catchpits in areas identified from the flooding event last year, which will assist in taking the surface water into the current piped network.

Culvert headwalls will also be upgraded to wing walls (pictured) to help reduce blockages where surface water is going into the network. Installation of grates on the wing walls will be considered later.

The project has been awarded to JC Civil and is programmed to start next week. Works are expected to take around six weeks to be completed.

Council is also trialling a sensor system that triggers an alarm when water reaches a certain level within the inlet. These will also be installed on four inlets and will measure the level of the water over periods of time. The aim is to know about potential blockages and clearing them before it leads to flooding. We want to be proactive in identifying these network issues. Initially, the sensors will be trialled on Ngatai Street, Butler Street, State Highway and the inlet by the old Placemakers building.

“As part of our upcoming Long Term Plan development, we will be including further stormwater improvement options for residents to consider,” says Shyamal.

“This includes a project to undertake modelling of the Te Kūiti stormwater system. The modelling will identify where more significant works may be required such as larger pipes or retention ponds. This will be a costly exercise and options will be considered based on budget and design.”