Three waters projects and updates
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On this page you will find information about our infrastructure projects.
Waitomo District Council undertakes capital works projects to upgrade, replace and improve the essential services infrastructure in the district, for the benefit of the community and to protect the environment.
On 1 July 2026, all of Council's water and wastewater assets and services will transfer to the new Waikato Waters Ltd Council Controlled Organisation (CCO), for which WDC joined in July 2025.
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Te Kūiti Water Supply Resilience Project
Overview
Waitomo District Council’s elected members have approved a multi-million dollar project to improve the security of Te Kūiti’s water supply infrastructure.
The contract for the project was awarded to HEB Construction Ltd in August 2025 with the aim of reducing the reliance on the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) by increasing overall storage capacity and improving flow efficiency.
Physical construction is scheduled to commence in February 2026, with an anticipated completion date of December 2026.
Key objectives include:
- Constructing a new watermain to directly connect the main reservoirs to the WTP
- Replacing the existing reservoir adjacent to Te Kūiti Hospital with a larger, modern tank
- Expanding network storage to better manage peak demand and emergency situations
These upgrades are expected to reduce pipe stresses and provide more water resilience to the community.
Upon completion of the project, the new assets will be vested to the new Waikato Waters Ltd Council Controlled Organisation (CCO), for which WDC joined in July 2025.
The loan raised to fund the project will also be taken on by Waikato Waters Ltd.
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Update February 2026
Upcoming Works Notice - Rora Street, Te Kūiti
As part of Council’s Te Kūiti Water Supply Resilience Project – we are installing a new pipeline from the water treatment plant on Waitete Road, to the Hospital Road reservoir.
One of the major lengths is along Rora Street, with the pipeline being laid on the western side of the road (carpark areas).
Construction works will start on Monday 16 February and will be completed in stages.
The method of installation allows for minimal disruption, but works and noise will be noticeable.
Businesses within the CDB can still be accessed, however there will be sections of carparks closed off on the western side.
Due to limited carparks being available, we ask that business employees/shop owners park on Taupiri Street, or side streets where applicable, so that customers can park on Rora Street to help our local businesses
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Update January 2026
A sod-turning ceremony on 21 January officially launched the start of construction, which will see a new reservoir built on Hospital Road and a direct watermain line from the water treatment plant.
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Update August 2025
Waitomo District Council is pleased to announce that the contract for the Te Kūiti Water Supply Resilience Project has been awarded to HEB Construction Ltd.
The project was first approved by Council in October 2022 to improve the security of Te Kūiti’s water supply infrastructure after efforts to find an alternative water source was unsuccessful.
The total project budget is worth almost $10M and will be the largest spend on three waters infrastructure over recent years.
General Manager Infrastructure Services, Shyamal Ram says the contract award marks a significant investment in addressing longstanding issues within the town’s aging water supply network, which has been under increasing stress due to the current network setup and its storage capacity.
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History and Background
In October 2022, Waitomo District Council’s elected members approved a multi-million dollar project to improve the security of Te Kūiti’s water supply infrastructure.
It was marked as the second largest spend on three waters infrastructure over recent years.
In 2012, WDC spent about $11.8M upgrading Te Kūiti’s wastewater system, and between 2014-2018, a further $8.2M was spent on upgrading Te Kūiti’s Water Treatment Plant (WTP).
General Manager Infrastructure Services, Shyamal Ram says investigations into Te Kūiti’s water network were first reported in 2007, which identified both network and operational shortcomings, and the need for additional reservoirs in Te Kūiti.
However, the estimated cost for developing these reservoirs was prohibitive at the time, given there was priority to do other water and wastewater upgrades.
“The priority, at that time, moved from providing additional storage to upgrading all the water and wastewater treatment plants. These upgrades were completed by 2018, and late last year, a project to find an alternative water source was unsuccessful,” says Shyamal.
“The need to review the resilience of Te Kūiti’s water supply infrastructure came to light again during the recent 2022 summer period, when water demand was at its highest and a burst on a major pipeline caused the reservoirs to drain rapidly, resulting in a critical water level being reached in Te Kūiti.
“The Water Treatment Plant managed to slowly restore levels over a period of days, however, this event highlighted the risk that the community faces with current water storage.”
Te Kūiti’s water reticulation is configured to supply the properties first, with excess treated water filling the Hospital Reservoir for later storage.
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Watermain Upgrade Works - January 2026
Council contractor Schick Civil Construction will be carrying out watermain renewals work on Blackman, William, Liverpool, Ngarongo, Anzac Tawa and Matai streets in Te Kūiti.
The planned start date is 27 January 2026 and the expected completion date is 20 February 2026.
To ensure the safe and efficient execution of these works, shoulder closure and stop/go traffic management is required. Access to properties will remain.
Please do note that shoulder closer during watermain upgrade works at times may affect off-street parking within the work areas.
Water supply will remain on throughout construction works. However, please note there will be two planned watermain shutdowns, during which water supply will be temporarily affected. The dates are subject to confirmation, and we will update you well in advance.
We ask that you plan and prepare accordingly for these shutdowns.
How will residents be affected?
- Your water will be turned off at 9am for approximately 3 hours. This may be longer if any
problems occur. Please let us know if this will cause a significant problem for you and your
health. - If you will be at home, we recommend storing water for daily tasks such as drinking
(approximately 2L per person), general hygiene & food prep. - To flush your toilet, you will need to store a bucket of approximately 10L of water. You can
either pour the water down the toilet or fill the cistern and flush using the normal flush system. - Once the water is turned back on, we will flush your main pipes. This can cause air to become trapped. We suggest running your outside tap for 5 minutes and capturing the water in a bucket to reuse in your garden.
| Type of Work | Watermain Upgrade |
| Start Date | Tuesday 27 January 2026 |
| Expected Completion | Friday 20 February 2026 |
| Affected streets | Blackman, William, Liverpool, Ngarongo, Anzac Tawa and Matai streets |
| Work hours |
6:30am – 6:30pm - Monday to Friday excluding Public Holidays 7.00am – 4.00pm – Weekends (if any urgent work is required) |
| Temporary Traffic Management |
Shoulder Closure Stop/Go Operation |
| Constraints | Planned watermain shutdown The dates are subject to confirmation, and we will update you well in advance. |
We understand that these works can be disruptive, and we appreciate your patience as we work to improve infrastructure in the area. Our team will do their best to minimise inconvenience wherever possible.
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Inflow and Infiltration Investigation - July 2023 to January 2025
Property Inspections
The Waitomo District Council is undertaking a district-wide property inspection programme to identify any issues with inflow and infiltration (I&I) to our sewer collection system.
Council employees will be going door-to-door undertaking visual checks of stormwater and sewerage utilities at your property.
When property inspections are being undertaken in your area, the Waitomo District Council Three Waters Engineers will be wearing an orange vest and carrying a warrant card so they can be easily identified.
They will leave a calling card to notify you that your property has been inspected. If you have any queries regarding our staff entering your property, please phone Council on 0800 932 4357.
If you have any other enquiries regarding I&I and want to update Council with the outcome of your property inspection, please email [email protected] and include your address and contact details.
What is Inflow and Infiltration?
Inflow and Infiltration refers to rainwater and groundwater that enters the wastewater system through a variety of defects on public and private property.
Inflow is the direct discharge of stormwater (i.e rain water) entering the sewer collection system, often from low lying gully traps, yard drains, roof downpipes and cross connections from stormwater drains that connect directly to the sewer.
Infiltration is the stormwater that seeps into the ground and enters the sewerage system, including sewer service connections, through defects, cracks, and joints in the pipe.
A gully trap collects wastewater from the kitchen, bathroom and laundry. Gully traps that are not set up correctly can allow stormwater runoff to enter them and into the wastewater system where it shouldn’t be. Gully traps must be installed no less than 25mm above a paved surface such as a concrete driveway or foot path and no less than 100mm above an unpaved surface such as gardens and grass areas.
Sources of Inflow and Infiltration
Next steps, how can you help?
Once the inspection has been completed, property owners with a non-compliant gully trap or downspout will be contacted regarding the findings and advice on remedial actions. As a property owner, you play an important role in addressing this issue and helping to reduce the risk of overflows. If you find any issues that you can easily resolve, we encourage you to do this.
Why are we doing this?
During heavy rain events, the Waitomo District wastewater can overflow and get into our waterways, which has a detrimental effect on our environment.
Increased inflow and infiltration can overwhelm our sewer system. It can increase up to 10 times more than the average daily flow, which then causes overflows.
This increases the cost associated with wastewater pumping and treatment and can lead to the contamination of private properties and the environment.
This is not a new issue and it is not just happening in the Waitomo district, but it is something that Council must address.
Council has started various initiatives to reduce the inflow and infiltration to our sewer collection system.
These include:
- Private property inspections
- Sewer Manhole inspections
- CCTV inspections of the sewer mains
- Sewer renewals
Inflow and Infiltration Inspection Programme
| Location | Planned Inspection Dates |
| Te Kūiti | July 2023 September 2024 |
| Piopio | October - December 2024 |
| Maniaiti/Benneydale | January 2025 |
Legal Requirements
The Resource Management Act 1991, the Building Act 2004 and the Local Government Act 2002 provides local authorities to enter onto properties and carry out inspections relating to services provided.
Clause 28.3 Prevention of Inflow and Infiltration, Water Services Bylaw 2010.
Sub clause : 28.3.1 The customer must prevent any stormwater or groundwater (including water from roof downpipes, surface water run-off, overland flow, and sub-surface drainage) from entering the Council sewer system.
Like more information?
More information about Council-operated three waters can be found from:
Council’s latest Long-Term Plan (available here and at Council’s Customer Service Centre at 160 Rora Street, Te Kūiti)
You can also contact 0800 932 4357 or email [email protected]
Report a Problem
Like any service, Council's three waters operations can occasionally experiences problems. It might be a sewer blockage, stormwater overflow, discoloured water, or a leak in the pipeline. If you discover a problem, please report it so we can investigate.
To report an issue or a problem, please call 0800 932 4357 or submit an online service request
Email: [email protected]