Friday 9 June 2017

New water reservoir proposed for Foxton to increase capacity and resilience

A small reservoir is proposed to be built near Foxton’s iconic water tower to increase drinking-water storage for the area and increase community resilience in a Civil Defence emergency or major fire.

Horowhenua District Council’s preferred site for the reservoir is just over halfway down the hill towards the water treatment plant; behind the Council-owned garages and next to the two electrical substations. The land is already designated for water treatment plant purposes, however since it is a recreational reserve, Council will now seek consent from the Minister of Conservation under the Public Works Act. This was a recommendation considered and approved by Council at its meeting on Wednesday evening.

Council’s Projects Manager Gerry O’Neill says that increasing Foxton’s drinking-water storage capacity would also help at times when the Foxton supply needed to be used to supplement the Foxton Beach water supply, such as during peak summer periods.

Mr O’Neill said four potential sites at Seaview Gardens were considered. He said the preferred site was close to existing infrastructure therefore reducing construction and maintenance costs; it was less visible and prominent than the other sites; and this section of the reserve was generally not widely-used for recreational purposes.

The reservoir would be a 500 cubic-metre tank, measuring 10.8m diameter and 5.8m high, and would be fenced and surrounded by screen planting.

Mr O’Neill said it is hoped that the new reservoir would be built by October 2018; however this would depend on how long the process would take to obtain consent from the Minister of Conservation.

ENDS

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