20 April 2017
Short Delay in Ruataniwha Water Storage Review
The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has agreed to delay the report back on the review of the Ruataniwha Water Storage
Scheme for two weeks in order to have further advice prepared. Originally planned for 26 April, the report back will now
be on 10 May.
The Council commissioned the review of the key contractual, legal, financial, economic and environmental elements of the
scheme, including the impacts and consequences of implementing Plan Change 6 with and without the Scheme, as well as the
implications of withdrawing from the Scheme.
Councillors have received a draft of the review report and during a workshop this week heard from a range of expert
advisors, who have contributed to the review.
Council Chairman, Rex Graham says regional councillors have received a large volume of advice, including more than 400
pages of reports, on many critical issues affecting the Council’s decision on the scheme, and have asked for further
information on some matters.
“This is a hugely important decision for our community and it is essential that we make it based on the best available
advice. The Council does not believe it is in the region’s best interests for the review to be rushed when we have
further matters we want clarified. The review has made good progress over the last couple of months and I am optimistic
we will be in a position to make a decision on whether to or not to continue with the scheme by the end of May.”
The Council plans to hold a special Council meeting at 1pm on Wednesday 10 May to formally receive the review report.
This will be followed by advice on options for responding to the review at a following Council committee meeting, and a
formal decision on the future of the scheme is expected to be made at the Council meeting on 31 May.
ends