Improvements to capacity and resilience of the Queenstown Lakes District’s water network have been delivered in Wānaka and Glenorchy, with Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) completing the construction of new reservoirs in the two townships.

QLDC Property & Infrastructure General Manager, Tony Avery said the additional infrastructure meant both communities would benefit from increased water capacity, which could prove critical in the event of an emergency like a wildfire.

“Council continues to invest in three waters infrastructure throughout the district, and the completion of these key projects will ensure we meet current and future water supply demands, while also providing for firefighting demands if the need arises,” said Mr Avery.

“We’ve significantly increased the storage capacity at both the Beacon Point site in Wānaka and in Glenorchy.”

The new steel plate reservoir in Wānaka at Beacon Point boasts capacity for 5,500,000 litres of water, complementing the existing concrete reservoir tank’s 3,500,000 litres of capacity. The additional capacity also means older infrastructure can be safely taken offline for maintenance if required.

In Glenorchy, the two new steel plate reservoirs have replaced four pre-cast concrete tanks and increased the township’s water capacity from 90,000 litres to 500,000 litres.

Given the arrival of what promises to be a long, dry summer, Mr Avery noted it was a timely reminder for everyone to continue using water wisely, regardless of the season or temperature outside.

“Summer is a thirsty season when it comes to our water network, and as warm and dry weather starts to make itself at home we need to continue treating water as a precious resource,” said Mr Avery.

“Increased water usage can put a strain on our infrastructure and increase the potential need for temporary water restrictions, so we’re asking everyone to consider their water use at all times.”

The construction of both reservoirs was delivered by Fulton Hogan.

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