Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) is carrying out a substantial upgrade programme at three pumpstations in the Heretaunga Plains – Awatoto, Brookfield, and Pākōwhai – to increase their performance and resilience.

These pieces of infrastructure are crucial for managing drainage in their catchments; low-lying areas where water collects from the higher areas above them. These catchments have large flat areas with limited natural drainage outlets and, while drain networks have been built to support pastoral farming and prevent water from ponding, pump stations help move water from the drainage system back to the river.

The pump station upgrade programme includes permanent on-site backup power generators, seismic strengthening, and improved telemetry systems to allow remote monitoring and management of the stations. Telemetry will also enable HBRC teams to record and display data from the pump stations.

“These pumpstations were adequate when they were built in the 1950s,” says HBRC Asset Management Group Manager Chris Dolley.

“While they’ve been improved over the years, they can’t supply the required drainage these catchments now require. Once these upgrades are complete, this infrastructure will deliver vastly superior performance.”

Funding for this work comes from an agreed package between Central Government and HBRC and is part of a larger programme of works to address climate challenges across the region.

Regional Council Chair Hinewai Ormsby is delighted this work is underway.

“These upgrades will give these pump stations greater resilience and improved efficiency in the face of climate change."

The three upgrades will be completed by 2026 and will be maintained as part of HBRC’s ongoing asset management programme.

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