IA OFFERS $3.2 MILLION FOR STORMWATER PROJECTS -First Ever Grant to a High School-

Statement made by John Robertson, Chairman Infrastructure Auckland

Infrastructure Auckland (IA) offered grants totaling $3.2 million today for stormwater projects throughout the region.

While IA has made grants to community groups in the past, this is its first ever grant offer to a high school. Onehunga High received an offer of $899,436 for its stormwater pond project. Auckland International Airport also received a grant offer of $156,700 for upgrading water quality of stormwater discharging to Pukaki Creek.

The largest grant offer of $1,367,204 was made to Auckland City Council for extensive work in the Waiatarua Reserve which will contribute to helping clean up Orakei Basin. This grant will reduce the sediment and nutrient levels in discharge to Orakei Creek and Basin through the construction of several cross weirs, embankments and wetland planting in the reserve. This follows the $2.4 million that IA offered to Auckland City Council in March bringing the total funds offered by IA to help clean up the Orakei Basin to $3.7 million.

Manukau City Council received five grant offers totaling just over $1 million for projects at Springs Road Stream, Flat Bush Stream, Pakuranga Town Centre, Half Moon Bay and Tidal Road at Mangere. Springs Road and Flat Bush Streams flow into Otara Lake and these together with the Half Moon Bay and Pakuranga projects will contribute to improving the quality of stormwater discharges into the Tamaki Estuary. These grants bring the total offered to Manukau City Council for their overall project to improve the quality of water discharging into the Tamaki Estuary to almost $3 million.

Franklin District Council also received an offer of $55,498 for new stormwater ponds and improvements of existing ponds at the Clarks Beach Golf Club.

Local communities will benefit from specific projects while the wider Auckland region is assisted by the collective impacts of the projects.

This is part of over $21 million granted to stormwater projects to date.

It is pleasing to fund a wide range of projects, which have strong social, economic and environmental benefits.

Today’s grants bring IA’s total granting programme for the region to date to $160 million from a programme of $950 million over the next ten years.

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