Hawke’s Bay Regional Council today voted to advance two important water security initiatives: an investigation into the impacts of prioritising a range of water efficiency initiatives, and transitioning the Heretaunga Water Storage Project into a new governance entity representing major community water users.

HBRC Chair, Hinewai Ormsby, said while focus on flood protection and cyclone recovery has taken recent priority, council had planned for a thorough, focused piece of work to quantify the potential water savings from a wide range of conservation and efficiency initiatives. She said the timing was now right to resume this work and that the work would be able to be considered in parallel with the feasibility assessment into a water storage option for the Heretaunga Plains.

“We must fully understand the scope of potential water efficiency and conservation initiatives for Hawke’s Bay. This is essential to improving water security, and we must also ensure we understand all other water security options available to us.

“Particularly in the context of climate change, it is likely that a range of water security solutions will be needed in order to protect our natural environment, sustain our communities, and support our economy.”

HBRC is currently undertaking a full feasibility assessment for a 27 million cubic metre water storage reservoir at Whanawhana. The project would store peak winter flows for release into the Heretaunga Plains’ waterways and aquifer during periods of peak summer water demand.

Mrs Ormsby said HBRC has received an update on work to establish a new governance entity for the project, which will be responsible for completing the current feasibility assessment work and then taking any decisions around future consenting and development, including securing future funding.

“Devolution of the project was always council’s commitment, and we have been clear and consistent on this point: HBRC is not a reservoir developer, but it can facilitate a range of water security solutions. This project has a good chance of moving through into consenting and construction if it is shaped, driven, and funded by the ultimate users of the water and beneficiaries of greater water security,” she said.

Three representative groups of Heretaunga’s water interests have confirmed participation in the project governance and delivery vehicle: Heretaunga Sustainable Water, representing irrigators and industrial users; Napier and Hastings councils, representing municipal supply; and mana whenua representation.

HBRC, along with Kanoa, had jointly funded the current feasibility assessment, which is budgeted for in HBRC’s long-term plan.

“Feasibility of the Heretaunga Water Storage Project is progressing well off the back of a comprehensive pre-feasibility assessment. Engagement with major water users has been positive and there is clear appetite for water users to now drive this project forward,” she said.

HBRC Chief Executive, Dr Nic Peet, said the water storage project provides an opportunity to materially increase water security for the engine of Hawke’s Bay’s economy and to bring together a group of stakeholders with common interests and values.

He noted the collaborative early engagement between Hastings and Napier Councils, irrigators and industrial users, and mana whenua on the potential for a water storage project for Heretaunga. He said the new governance and delivery entity would now be established, and responsibility for completion and delivery of the current feasibility assessment, alongside previously committed funding for the work, would be transferred to it.

The transition of the project to local community interests would protect HBRC’s role as consenting authority and environmental regulator and fully protect ratepayers from any future costs. HBRC would oversee the current feasibility work programme through to its conclusion. The transition to a new governance and delivery entity will include quarterly reviews of progress with the ability for HBRC to maintain control over expenditure if obstacles emerge during feasibility.

“The Heretaunga Plains are some of the world’s great growing soils and their production is increasingly dependent on water security,” he said. “As our climate changes, water security becomes both more precious for our social, environmental, and economic wellbeing, and challenging to deliver. There is a growing gap between our demand for water and nature’s ability to reliably provide it.

“Water storage will likely become an important part of water security for the Heretaunga Plains, alongside conservation and demand management projects. We have identified a very promising site for a water storage facility to protect the environment, economy, and people’s livelihoods on the Heretaunga Plains.

“The project has the potential to materially contribute to the Heretaunga Plains’ water security needs and is based within the natural catchment that supplies the plains and its aquifer. The time is now right for community representatives with clear interests in water security to take over this project and see it through to completion.”

HBRC’s water conservation investigation and the Heretaunga Water Storage feasibility assessment will both be completed in the second quarter of 2026.

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