Tranz Rail is offering the Department of Conservation and others the use of its existing lahar early warning system near Taupo but the department says it doesn't suit its purposes.
The Department of Conservation has been forced to step up its plan to install a system at Mt Ruapehu's crater lake, with the lake filling faster than initially estimated.
New estimates show there could be a lahar by next year.
Tranz Rail's solar powered system, which was upgraded only two years ago, is situated 11km upstream from the Tangiwai Bridge and monitors the river constantly. The company says it makes no sense for other authorities to spend money on a new system when it has one already operating.
Department of Conservation conservancy advisory scientist Harry Keys said Tranz Rail had been part of the alarm system discussions since at least 1997 and although their system was very suitable for their own purposes, it was not practical for warning of a lahar at the Desert Road.
"The fundamental problem is that it is too far downstream to be useful for the Desert Road. By the time the lahar gets to where the [Tranz Rail] system is situated, the lahar would have already crossed the Desert Road."
Dr Keys added that DOC was meeting with Tranz Rail next month and would be discussing the matter then.
Tranz Rail group general manager of engineering, William Peet, said there would be a cost involved in using the company's system but nothing like funding an entirely new system in another location.
- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)
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