Kerepēhi Raw Water Upgrades

January Update

After effectively testing the new raw water reservoir tanks in October, work has continued to connect them to the raw water intake through a series of successful shutdowns. These were completed without disrupting water supply, bringing the project another step closer to completion.

Pressure testing in October 2025January 2026: Another connection completed.

Why are the two tanks needed?

At its previous processing throughput, the water treatment plant held about 24-hours of raw water reserves. The water supply was influenced by the tidal conditions of its source, the Waihou River. It could also be adversely affected by severe weather events.

The two new tanks will add around four million litres of additional storage - providing a continuous supply and significantly reducing the possibility of a water shortage.

Construction was carried out by Reliant Solutions Limited, who also constructed the two treated water storage reservoirs at the site in 2018. The two new tanks were constructed simultaneously at the back of the treatment plant.

Feel free to take a look at the timelapse video featured on this page. This shows the construction process from the ground preparations to the finished tanks.

What's happening with the supply pipes?

The previous 5.3km-long water pipe that supplies raw water had come to the end of its life and has been replaced with a wider pipe.

As at January 2026, significant progress is being made to switch everything over with as little disruption as possible.

Above: The red and blue line is the water main which has been replacedThe budgets were approximately $2.7 million for the tanks and $6.05 million for the pipeline.

We’ll keep you up to date right here on every step of the upgrade.

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