AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL

MEDIA RELEASE

17 May 2007

Orakei water improvements may see funds channelled to other stormwater priorities

Ongoing improvement to the water quality in the Orakei Basin and creek have convinced Auckland City Council to forego any further dredging in the creek and to transfer proposed funding to other stormwater priorities in the city.

The Works and Services Committee accepted recommendations that a proposed dredge- and-replace project for the upper arms of the creek would not produce further significant environmental benefits and that funding be directed to other priorities.

Committee chairperson Councillor Neil Abel says actions over a number of years have achieved successful environmental benefits for the whole area.

“Work to improve the water quality in the creek have included the completion of the award-winning Waiatarua wetlands, the catchment-wide stormwater and wastewater separation works and dredging of the basin sediment to improve water depth.”

He adds: “Further improvements will follow with the replacement of the floodgates to help flush the basin regularly and once the pipeline across Hobson Bay has been demolished, the whole area will once again become a prime asset to the city.”

Mr Abel says that when the creek dredging project was tested against other stormwater priorities in the city, it was clear the funds should be invested elsewhere.

“Priority areas such as Cox’s Creek, the upper Tamaki River, the upper Whau estuary, the Waterview inlet and work being finalised on the Mangere inlet are all candidates.”

The council will ask whether $2.4 million from Infrastructure Auckland (now Auckland Regional Holdings earmarked to fund the creek project can go to another stormwater project.

Mr Abel acknowledges the contribution the Orakei Basin Protection Group has made to the project over time, and the long hours the group has invested in the area’s improvement.

Ends

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