Water, Wastewater and Stormwater projects and service updates
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.
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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]