Community climate change discussions step up in South Dunedin

Dunedin (3 February 2020) – The Dunedin City Council and Otago Regional Council are starting a new, larger phase of community discussions about the effects of climate change in South Dunedin.

Throughout this year council staff are going to try to meet with every one of the more than 150 community, sports, religious and social groups active in the South Dunedin area. The DCC has written to the groups today.

DCC General Manager City Services Sandy Graham says this is a new initiative under the joint South Dunedin Future project. It is the first step in a multi-year process to involve as much of the community as possible in future decisions about how best to respond and adapt to climate change. Rather than planning its own meetings, the DCC has asked if can talk to groups at one of their meetings about the long-term challenges and opportunities over the next century and beyond.

“There’s no fixed agenda or options for these discussions. We want to build awareness of the issues and develop good relationships, so the community is part of the decision making every step of the way,” Ms Graham says.

“While this is the first opportunity to talk with more people about the effects of climate change in South Dunedin, it certainly won’t be the last. Long-term adaptive planning work will take several years to complete, and discussions with the community will be ongoing.”

ORC General Manager Operations Gavin Palmer says it is important to share ORC’s technical information about South Dunedin and the work it has underway.

“We’re pleased to be able to contribute our expertise and knowledge to these discussions. Planning for climate change is one of ORC’s four strategic priorities. It’s essential that we share what we know in order to help make informed decisions with the community,” Dr Palmer says.

The DCC is keen to hear from all groups who are willing to be involved, by email at southdunedinfuture@dcc.govt.nz. It also wants to hear from any South Dunedin groups who do not receive a letter within the next week, so everyone can be included.

As well as meeting face to face with individual groups, the DCC, ORC and partner agencies are organising a series of monthly public drop in information sessions on a range of climate change-related topics at the South Dunedin Community Pop Up on Hillside Road throughout 2020. Details of these will be advertised once confirmed.

South Dunedin is one of the most exposed coastal communities in the country, having nearly 2,700 homes that lie within half a metre of the spring high tide mark. The combination of low-lying land, high groundwater levels and increasing climate change are already making the area more prone to flooding. The most immediate risk and potential impact is from major rain events that can produce more water than the existing systems can cope with. Longer term, rising sea and groundwater levels will increase impacts.

DCC General Manager Infrastructure Services Simon Drew says it has been preparing the city, improving the infrastructure, its operations and emergency responses. And over the next decade, the DCC has $86 million of planned projects to reduce South Dunedin’s short-term flood risk. However, in the medium to longer term more creative responses will be needed as the effects of climate change are increasingly felt.

“Over the past few years, we have strengthened relationships with the South Dunedin community through participation in community hui, facilitating meetings of the South Dunedin Stakeholder Group and participating in the local Community Response Group. However, there is much more to do to bring the whole community up to speed,” Mr Drew says.

www.dunedin.govt.nz/southdunedin

What the council has done since 2015:

• installed a new, larger $300,000 filter screen at the Portobello Rd stormwater pumping station in Andersons Bay, for faster cleaning and pumping

• improved inspection, cleaning and maintenance of the 1,500 mud tanks (the stormwater grates in the gutter) in South Dunedin and others across the city

• fitted new backflow prevention valves to help stop wastewater getting inside homes at risk

• replaced old wastewater pipes in the Kaikorai Valley area to lessen wastewater flooding in South Dunedin

• The DCC, ORC and others are collecting groundwater and other technical data to help inform what longer-term adaptation options might be

• begun planning major projects so that wastewater from the Kaikorai Valley area – currently piped through South Dunedin to the Tahuna treatment plant – will instead be piped to Green Island for treatment. This will lessen wastewater flooding in South Dunedin.

• employed staff to strengthen our links with the South Dunedin community and funded the development of an independent group, South Dunedin Community Network to bring the community together

• introduced higher minimum floor levels for new homes across low-lying parts of the city so the buildings are less likely to flood

• improved emergency procedures, with more sandbags, door-knocking and emergency information centres during heavy rain events, and supported development of South Dunedin’s own locally driven Community Response Plan.

Other planned major projects:

• $7 million project to lay a new pipe so wastewater from the Kaikorai Valley area – currently piped through South Dunedin to the Tahuna treatment plant – will instead be piped to Green Island for treatment.

• $44 million project to upgrade the Green Island wastewater treatment plant to deal with more wastewater, more efficiently, well into the future.

• budgeted $35 million on flood reduction within South Dunedin over the next 10 years, working closely with the community, on things like new higher flow mud tanks, pump stations or new ways of diverting and managing water.

ends

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