Council has started urgent work at the Awatere River mouth where high river levels and large swells have compromised a former landfill site.

Community caretakers were on site this morning collecting disturbed rubbish from the river and the beach, and Council has formulated a detailed two-stage plan to shore up the site, prevent further erosion and find a more permanent solution.

“Our interim plan includes placing river rock to cover the exposed refuse along a 70m stretch of the river,” said David Wilson, Council’s director of lifelines.

He said contractors had started piling material against the river bank upstream of the site this afternoon.

“We will build a temporary groyne upstream, as well as place gravel to form a bar to protect the area from the tidal cycle.”

Contractors would soon start delivering larger rocks to the site in order to form a rock wall.

Mr Wilson said Council was also planning to secure the whole of the footprint of the former landfill site with bidim, a tough synthetic fabric used in civil construction projects to prevent erosion and stabilise loose soil.

“We will cover that synthetic fabric with large hard rock to lock it into place,” he said.

“These actions will make it safe until we can apply for a consent to make more permanent arrangements.

“We have had our community caretakers onsite today picking up rubbish that has been washed out from the river and will have another team onsite from tomorrow to continue the cleanup along the river and beach.”

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